


Under a bat's wing

by Dragonqueen909



Series: Hell shall Sing under a Bat's wings Chronicles [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Hellsing
Genre: Alucard is a true Vampire, Alucard is his own warning, Bats, Dadlucard, Guardian Alucard, Harry Potter is obsessed with bats and vampires, Harry is oblivious to the truth about his bat, Harry none existant selfprotection with vampires, Hedwig is more than she seems, Hermione Granger Bashing, Hogwarts First Year, Misguided Albus Dumbledore, Nosferatus, Ron Weasley Bashing, Sentient Hogwarts, Unicorns Love Alucard, alucard is a good cook, elements of other Dracula lores, millenium act never happen, protective alucard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:10:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26320123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonqueen909/pseuds/Dragonqueen909
Summary: The last order that an old Integra gave Alucard before dying was to find himself a worthy master that could become the heir of Hellsing.(or were Harry find himself with a really unique looking vampire bat as a new friend, not knowing that the bat he named Dracula was in fact the real one and that he had deem him worthy of being his new master and heir of Hellsing)
Relationships: Harry Potter & Alucard (Hellsing)
Series: Hell shall Sing under a Bat's wings Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912459
Comments: 91
Kudos: 457





	1. Prologue

It was a good sunny day. For Harry potter though it was a really unique one. Why you ask? Well…

It had all started a week ago when a strange letter written on actual parchment came through the mail trap. A letter addressed to him. The freak under the stairs. And while he had been really surprised and happy that someone had sent him something, he had been worried about the fact they knew where he actually slept. Enough to write it as an actual address. 

Creepy. 

He had been really sad and angry when Vernon had torn it apart before he could even open it. If only to sate his curiosity. The next days had been chaos. Letter after letter had rained down on the family coming out of seemingly every corner of the house.

And wasn’t it a bit much? Who does that anyway?

It had gone on until Vernon snapped and took them all on a crazy running chase across the country till they stopped at a shack in the middle of nowhere surrounded by icy water.

It was during the middle of the night, where he was blowing his birthday dirt cake candles that He came. A huge man, so big and strong he broke the door by only knocking on it. Then he proceed to come inside and start talking about how much he had missed him since he was a baby and how much he looked like his parents. 

Like what?

It was also when he learned what his parents' names actually were and that no they didn’t die in a car crash. That his aunt and uncle had lied.

But the most surprising thing that night was that the giant named Hagrid told him he was actually a wizard and not a freak. A wizard! He could do magic like in those fantasy books he liked to read at the library when hiding from Dudley.

He wondered if he could change someone into a toad too. Hagrid had then taken him to London and to a medieval looking pub where they rented a room for the night.

Now he was marveling at all the cool things that were clearly magical in the shopping alley. It looks right out of a medieval fantasy book! It was wicked! He couldn’t wait to explore it.

He followed Hagrid up some big white stairs and into the bank. And the weird looking guards were actually goblins! How cool is that? Real goblins! Although they didn't look like those in the movie  _ Labyrinth  _ that he got lucky to be able to watch at school. 

As they waited in line for their turn, something stirred under his jacket. A furry black head with big ears poke out of his shirt and looked around with blood red eyes.

“Oh! Look Drac,look! real goblins. It's so cool!” he exclaimed excitedly at his furry friend like it was absolutely normal that it was hiding in his shirt this whole time.

Squeaky chattering was his answer as the creature crawled out of his shirt to come perch itself on his head. It was a bat. A big romanian vampire bat to be exact. A really unique colored one too. While the usual ones were dark brown, this one was jet black, his wing tips dark red like bloody tattered splatters and his eyes blood red and sometimes they seemed to actually glow eerily in the dark. It was also much bigger than the usual one. His wings easily reaching 3 feet long in flight while his body the reasonable size of a small ferret. A very impressive size for a species that usually fit in one hand.

Was it surprising that Harry gave him a name befitting its royal alpha look? And thus he named him Dracula. Nickname Drac.

If someone had asked him what was his favorite animal long ago, his response would have been a bat. Why? Because they can fly and disappear in the night, protected by darkness and shadow. And if asked which kind of bat he liked the best, his answer would have been the vampire bat simply because they rarely go hungry, their source of food was everywhere. Only needing blood to eat. How it must be nice to always be able to eat when hungry.

“Blemy ‘Arry where does this bat come from? Never seen one like that before” Hagrid asked suddenly.

“Oh this is Dracula. Drac, this is Hagrid” he introduces them.

“Dracula eh? Well this bat gives those myths justice. I'm sure if the Count was real and could truly turn into a bat he would look like this one.”

“Vlad Dracula isn't real?” asked Harry a little sad. He had always had a fascination with the stories of Vlad the impaler that became the famous Count Dracula. The vampire King. And this since they watched a movie about vampires in elementary school for halloween.

“Eh, well maybe not like the one in myths though. If I recall right there was a bloke that dabbed in forgotten magic and blood rituals and sacrifices that they called Dracula long ago. Say he went mad and impaled everyone that stood in his way and bathed in their blood. He may have been turned into a vampire, maybe not… but not like the ones described in those myths. There is no vampire with power like that. Wizard’s turned lose their magic when turned into vampires and none can turn into bats.” Hagrid explained not wanting to make the lad sad.

“Oh…” still sad but interested nonetheless. Vampires were still cool. Though not as cool as The Dracula he thought. 

Dracula the bat suddenly chattered from his perch on his head before hanging himself by his hair and in front of Harry's face. Looking at the kid with a strange look in his eyes.

“What are you doing Drac?” he snorted. The bat just chattered back at him. “You’re silly sometimes.” Harry said as he unhooked the bat from his hair and held him to his shoulder where he proceeded to perch and seemed to look around like a sentry parrot.

“That is one strangely behaving bat you got there ‘Arry. They should be sleeping during the day.” said Hagrid curiously. But before Harry could answer they were called forward to the teller booth. 

Hagrid then proceeded with their business, at one time he started emptying his pockets of really random things that you wouldn't expect to find in pockets before finally finding what he was apparently searching for. A small golden key.

As they were led to a door leading to a minecart, Harry gathered his bat to hold him protectively to his chest as they go hurtling down the track like on a roller coaster. Not that he ever rode one before, but this is what he thinks it would be like as he hooted in glee.

-B-

Still giggling after the ride back from his vault, and what a surprise to discover he had actual money, even more than the Dursleys. If judging by the ceiling high pile of actual gold coins… 

He followed the goblin back to the bank lobby while Hagrid went to another vault for something. 

The goblin showed him to a bench where he could wait for Hagrid. Sitting down to wait, he absently started to pet Drac’s back when he crawled out to settle on his lap. He still marveled at the always fluffy soft fur. Never dirty and always looking well groomed. Not like his own hair that was always disheveled and sometimes dusty or sweaty from cleaning or chores.

He doesn’t know if he would still be who he is today if he never met his bat. Somehow, since Drac came to him, life at the Dursleys was livable. And for that he would be eternally grateful. This unique bat changed his life forever that cold rainy Fall night.

-B-

_ It had been raining hard all day, the cold wet air making many want to burrow in blankets and drink hot tea.  _

_ The calm silence was suddenly broken by an angry bellow from inside number 4 Privet Drive. Followed by soft cries of pain before the door connecting the house to the garage burst open and something was thrown outside the warm house to the freezing cold cement before the door bangged closed again. _

_ The silence returned. Only broken by the sound of the falling rain and sparse whimper of pain coming from the figure curled unconscious on the cold ground. _

_ From a shadow corner of a ceiling shelf, something stirred awake. Two glowing red eyes seemed to float there in the dark as they looked at the small body. It stared for a minute before moving and crawling along the shelves. Once at the end of it it let go and unfolded its wings, dropping to the ground. The light from the door window revealed that it was a bat as it crawled silently like a predator toward the unconscious body that was in fact a small child. _

_ Its target was the bloody gash on the child’s brow, dripping slowly to the ground by the pull of gravity. The bat eyed the strange lightning bolt shaped scar on the other side of the brow, but disregarded it just after to lap at the blood gently. _

_ Just from the first lick, it knew that this child was special, his blood having the unique sweetened taste of magic and not a wizard magic but that of a magus. When was the last time it saw a magus? Must have been at least 400 years ago. As the bat continued to lap at the blood gathering all the information he could about its owner, it discovered the abuse, and the hardship the child had been under almost all his life.  _

_ Blood wasn’t only someone's life force. It was everything. Their memories, their emotions, their skills, their dreams, the link to their very soul. _

_ And as he viewed it all, the bat came to a decision. _

Yes, you are worthy

_ The bat was suddenly engulfed in shadow. The shadows grew and grew, the bat changing shape to be replaced by a 6 foot high black haired man. A man dressed in a red trench coat with a matching red fedora. Glowing red eyes looked at the tiny 6 years old child over his round yellow sunglasses. _

_ “Yes, you’ll make a worthy little master. But first...” said the man before gently gathering the child in his arms and sitting down with him in his lap.  _

_ The child whimpered in pain as he was moved. The man glared in the house’s direction and at the family inside, before focusing back to the child. Removing one of his white gloves, he swiped the back of his hand over the bleeding wound and making sure the carved sigils pentagram was well drenched with the precious lifeblood. _

_ He gritted his teeth hard in a snarl at the burning pain of the new blood bond forming. Once the bonding was done, his skin absorbed the blood before he put his glove back on. _

_ “Now let's take care of you little master.” he said before licking the wound thoroughly. His tongue unnaturally long as he licked him clean of blood. The special healing agent in his saliva taking care of the wound. Healing it closed like it was never there. Not noticing that the lightning bolt scar started to fade away slowly, when his long tongue inadvertently passed over it. He then gently took the child’s arms and did the same to the cuts there. Once done, he absently started scenting the child in his arms rubbing the side of his chin on his head. _

_ The moment he realized what he was doing he froze. He had never done this to someone before. Having the urge to drench someone in his scent claiming them as his. Not even his dear Integra. He eyed the child strangelly, now why would he do that now? _

_ “What a peculiar little master you are. Not even five minute into the bond and you’re already making me do strange things. The following years are bound to be interesting.” The child decided this moment to make a soft mew before curling in his arms and nuzzling his chest seeking warmth as he shivered from the cold. _

_ The man startled, and looked at the child. Now this was also new. Generally people wanted to be far from him, not cuddle him. _

_ “Yes, very interesting indeed.” he said with an ear splitting fangy smile. But the child won’t find warmth from him, his body being cold like a corpse. Now what to do to keep him warm? It wouldn’t do for his new little master to die already from something lame as being too cold.  _

_ Looking around the empty garage for something to wrap the child in, he found nothing that would work. Frowning displeased, he suddenly reached his arm in the shadow, looking as if he was searching inside a bag. His arm disappearing into nothing. _

_ From the void he pulled out a thick, black with red inside, fabric. As long as he was tall, one edge of the *blanket* was tattered beyond belief, the opposing edge looked to be shaped in a way it would form a high collar if worn like a cloak. _

_ Gently but expertly he warped the child in it. Framing the small head with the collar. He snorted once done, the way the child looked like this, reminding him of an old cartoon he saw in passing. The one where vampires wear that iconic looking cloak with a high red collar. And to say it was inspired by him when he was still a feared Count. Although he would never be caught looking like that common representation of him. It was insulting. He still wonders why people think he looked like that. He never came close to looking like that even once. _

_ Snickering to himself he gathered the child and moved to sit in a shadowy corner with him. Keeping an eye on the door and those inside the house. He will watch over his little master for the rest of the night. _

-B-

_ When Harry had woke up the next morning, it was to the feeling of being warm and the heavy smell of blood and nighttime with something else he couldn’t identify. But mostly of blood. When he had tried to move, he couldn't, like if he was wrapped in something. He had opened his eyes to see that he was still in the garage where his uncle had apparently thrown him last night. When he had looked down at what was preventing him from moving, he discovered that he was wrapped in a thick blanket. One he was sure the Dursleys didn’t own. It was from the blanket that the smell came from. Strangely the smell didn’t bother him that much. As he burrowed inside it's warm cocoon, he didn’t linger on where the blanket came from. It wasn’t the first time strange things happened or appeared from seemingly nowhere. He was just happy to not be cold for once. _

_ He stayed like this for a while, basking in the warmth before deciding to get up. As he moved, loosening the blankets hold so he could sit up, he suddenly noticed that there was something on his head. Slowly sitting himself up, he cautiously reached a hand up to pat his hair. _

_ Just before he could touch whatever it was, the thing moved before a high pitched squeaky chattering was heard from it. He froze for a second before finally touching the creature. He just had the time to marvel at the fluffy soft feeling of what could be fur before the creature climbed his hand. Just by how it was holding unto his hand he knew it was bigger then said hand. Maybe reaching his elbow, his hand included. _

_ Gently bringing his hand in front of his face, his eyes widened in wonder as the creature chose this moment to hang itself upside down from his arm. It’s head tilted to the side as it looked him dead in the eyes revealing what it actually was.  _

_ A bat. _

_ The coolest bat he had ever seen. And that was saying something. Harry had read everything he could find on bats. And this one had all the features and shape of a romanian vampire bat. But its size and coloring was all wrong. It was at least 4 times the size it should be and was pure black with dark red wingtips that gave them a look of being tattered and splattered in blood. Its red eyes, they even seemed to actually glow with inner light. It was totally wicked and awesome. For lack of better words, it looked kingly.  _

_ A supreme kind of vampire bat. _

_ But the question was why was it here? Not only in the Dursley’s garage, but in England altogether. _

_ “Hi, where did you come from? Did you get trapped inside?” he asked gently. The bat just chattered back. Harry giggles. _

_ “Would you mind if I give you a name?” the bat just tilted its head to the other side listening. “What do you say to Dracula as your name?” _

_ And there, Harry didn’t know how to describe the expression on the bat face, but it looked totally amused. How was it even possible? _

_ “What? It's a suiting name, you’re the awesomest bat I’ve ever seen. Like a King bat or something.” he defends his name choice. “And Dracula is the most awesome vampire in the world and can turn into a bat. Bats are the coolest animal ever… they can fly and…” he trailed off. _

_ If even possible the bat looked even more amused. Harry pouted. The bat suddenly made a strange trilling sound. It took him a second to realise what that sound was supposed to mean. And he still wonders to this day at how it could even make it. _

_ It was a laugh. The bat was laughing at him. He pouted harder. _

_ “It's not funny…” _

-B-

This was how the bat was named Dracula since that day. Harry still remembered how it had crawled into his shirt just before his aunt had come barking at him to go make breakfast, unlocking the house door without looking at him. He had been grateful that his aunt always got up before the others, because it had given him the chance to sneak the blanket to his cupboard and hide it under his own ratty blanket.

Hagrid returns snapped him out of his memories, and he smiled. He was almost jumping in place with anticipation. Now they would be going exploring. He couldn't wait. He also absently wondered if there would be things for bats in the menagerie he saw on the way to the bank earlier.

_ To be continued.... _


	2. chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> since you guys seems to like the prologue alot i decide to give you a gift and post chapter 1 in advance 
> 
> enjoy^^

Harry was almost vibrating with how excited he was as he followed Hagrid out of the bank. Dracula had crawled under his shirt again to get the least amount of sun possible but poking his head out from time to time. Sometimes chattering away randomly.

Harry didn’t know what he was saying but he would bet he was mockingly commenting on things. Drac was a cheeky bat. He had caught him talking back at Dudley once from the top of the fridge and laughing at him when he couldn't reach him. Making that trilling sound each time his cousin missed him while trying to hit him with things. Dudley didn't know how to aim, he didn’t even come close to touching the bat once.

Harry may not know what he was saying but he always knew when he was actually talking to him. Like that time he almost tripped on a rusty blade in the shed and Drac had for lack of a better word start fretting and either scolded him or told him to be careful where he stepped. He wasn’t sure but it had felt like one of those.

“So ‘Arry, what would yeh like to get first?” asked Hagrid.

Harry took out the school list from his jacket pocket and looked over it.

“I think the trunk, that way we can put the other supplies inside.” he decided. Hagrid nodded and steered him to the trunk shop. Once inside, Harry looked at every model he could see. But his eyes were pulled to the more colored one in the back. Going to the rack, he debated which he should choose.

There were 3 that appealed to him. One was a very dark purple with black fastenings. The second was all black with red fastenings and the last one was a deep red with dark silver fastenings.

He would have taken all 3, but that would be a waste of money, even if he was newly rich.

“What do you think Drac? Which should I choose?” he asked when he poked his head out of the shirt. The bat looked at the 3 that he had decided on, before locking his eyes on one. Crawling out he took flight to go and perch on the lid of the red one. Draping his wings open over it before chattering.

“This one it is then!” he said snickering at his friend’s silliness.

“Did yeh find one ‘Arry?” Hagrid asked joining them.

“Yes, the red one.” he pointed. Hagrid nodded before picking it up, bat and all.

“Let's find the seller then, come lad. I think I saw him that way” said the Giant.

Harry followed him until they found the seller. Which was sitting at the counter. Hagrid settled the trunk plus bat on it. The seller startled at the bat but turned his attention to the child that was poking his nose over the counter top.

“Hello there, is this for you? You starting Hogwarts this year?” asked the man leaning over to see him more. Harry was really tiny for his age.

Harry nodded.

“Alright then, this is a high quality student trunk. Already included with it is a feather light charm, a shrinking charm, water and fireproof and an anti-theft ward. It is comprised of multiple compartments where you will be able to classify and store your school supplies. Including space for potions, books, wardrobe, stationary, an empty one were you can put what you want and also a special one for pets.” he explained the trunk features.

“Wicked.” said Harry amazed, but something was bothering him. “But sir, how will it all fit inside? It isn’t that big…” he asked skeptically eyeing the trunk’s dimension.

“That lad, is the wonder of expansion charms. It may not look like it, but this trunk is ten times bigger inside then what you see outside.” said the seller with an amused smile. “You should have enough space for everything you will need for school, with plenty to spare.”

“Wow,” said Harry, his eyes sparkling in wonder.

“Now this trunk comes with the option of a little customization if you want. So what do you say lad? Do you want to change or add something to make this trunk yours even more?” ask the man curious. This was always the part he loved best, giving one of his trunks a little of their new owner personality.

Harry thought for a bit looking at the trunk then at Drac on it. His eyes suddenly sparkled as an idea came to him.

“Can the lock be a bat just like Drac?” he asked.

“This bat right here? Certainly lad.” the seller said before waving his wand on the lock and changing its shape to that of a bat in flight of the same color as the real one sitting on the trunk. 

“Awesome!” exclaimed Harry at the easy show of magic.

“Is this all lad?”

Harry nods.

“Alright then it will be 50 gallions for the trunk.”

Harry gave him the coins happily.

“Now before you go lad, here's how to shrink the trunk. Just tap the lock 3 times. Same to get it back to its real size.”

“Got it, thank you!” was Harry's response as Drac dropped onto his head while he shrunk the trunk like the seller said. Putting it in his jacket pocket, he turned to Hagrid while Dracula crawled back inside his shirt. 

“Now that we got yeh a trunk, what would yeh like to get next?” asked Hagrid.

Harry took out his list again, and decided to get the stationary and tell the giant so.

Hagrid nodded and they set out for the store.

-B-

The rest of the shopping went the same. Harry marveling at everything that displayed magic freely and Drac chattering away sometimes and helping Harry choose supplies.

The apothecary is where Harry had let lose his curiosity. Even Dracula had seemed to be particularly curious about the parts in pickle jars. Especially those that were displaying things like eyes or similar parts.

The bookstore had been interesting, finding actual spell books had fascinated Harry. To have the actual description and the inside working of spells was something he never thought he would ever read or find. Those in fantasy books weren’t the same as they were imagined. They did not have this intensive description of the very core of the spells. He had spent a lot of money there. There was one time Drac had even made a book drop from a shelf. Curious Harry had picked it up and read the cover. It was a compendium of every creature of the night ever recorded. He bought it.

He had fun at the clothing store. And he also thought Drac was a little obsessed with red. Although the blond haired boy made him think of a more stuck up Dudley, Harry was looking forward to finally wearing new and fitted clothing and not his cousin’s castoffs.

The pet shop had mixed reactions. On one hand there was a lot of merch for all kinds of pets ranging to cages and carriers, toys, care products and even clothes for them. On the other hand, many animals were shying away from him. It was kind of sad as he hadn’t done anything to warrant this reaction from them. In any case, he had a laugh holding some clothes to Drac, looking for how good he would look in them. The bat let him do so with indulgence until Harry found a mini sword and a collar that had a high collar like a vampire cape attached to it. There Harry actually put it on the bat with a giggle. The collar sizing itself to fit the tiny neck. And burst out laughing at Dracula’s _“I’m so done”_ face. Still laughing he took it off but kept it in hand along with the tiny sword. After all it would make a perfect Halloween costume for the bat. Although, Drac had a very strange look in his eyes when the child got his hand on a bat-care package. Curiosity mixed with anticipation and uncertainty. He will see how it goes with those.

Now the only thing left to get, was his wand.

When they entered the wand shop, Harry looked around while Hagrid said that he would wait outside. The place had a weird feel to it. Stuffy and heavy. Drac poked his head out and made a curious humming sound. Harry gave him a sidelong look, still marveling at the sounds the bat could make. Sounds that he shouldn't even be able to make with a bat’s vocal chords. They almost sounded human sometimes. He suddenly felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand up when an old deranged looking man suddenly appeared from a shadowy corner.

“I thought I would be seeing you soon Mr. Potter.” he said, coming to stand in front of him and leaning over. Much too close, making Harry flinch back. When the man raised his hand to touch his face, he was suddenly stopped by a guttural hissing. The man quickly backed away when he noticed the bat that suddenly sprang out of the child's shirt, spreading his wings open threateningly, fangs on display. But what Harry didn’t see because of the way the bat was placed was that the fangs showed were NOT those usually seen in it’s mouth. But a full on nightmarish display of sharp pointy teeth akin to a monstrous shark. Something that shouldn’t be possible on a bat face.

As the man backuped further, the room seemed to darken. As if the shadow had become opaque and took over the lighting, that was already low, in the room. All of this lasted for a big 4 seconds.

Ollivander stared at the bat, wondering if he had imagined the horror he just saw but feeling like he just escaped Death himself. Clearing his throat but keeping a safe distance from the two, specifically the bat that he wasn’t sure was one, he addressed the child.

“Pardon me Mr. Potter, that was uncalled of me. It's just that I remember every wand I ever sold. It was sadly one of mine that was used to mark you Mr. Potter. Yes, 13 inch, yew with a phoenix feather core.”

Harry just looked at the man uneasy, unconsciously hugging his bat in his arm like a security blanket.

“Now I believe you came here for your wand, yes?” Harry nodded. “Right then let's find you a perfect wand.” said Ollivander, going behind the counter and to the many shelves filled with long boxes. Completely forgoing the magical measuring tape, as it wasn’t actually necessary for him. It was just to keep his young customers entertained while he fetched the wands. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be a good idea right now. That bat scared him. Better not take the chance to truly set it off.

While Ollivander was occupied, Harry turned his attention to Drac. Gathering him in his hands, he turned the bat around so they were face to face as he held him up in front of him.

“Now I know normal bats can't make that sound. Are you a magical bat?” asked Harry staring at Dracula suspiciously. The bat just blinked innocently at him. Harry narrowed his eyes. That look was too innocent to be credible.

He didn’t have time to say anything else as Ollivander was coming back, his arms loaded with boxes. Giving Drac a last look, he put him on the counter before turning his attention to the old man just as he deposited his cargo on it.

“Alright, now try this one. 11’, willow and unicorn hair.” he said, giving him a brown wand and giving the bat a wary look as he did so.

Harry looked at the wand and frowned. Confused, he looked at the man.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Give it a wave.” he urged. Harry did so and jumped, startled badly when a flower pot exploded. Dracula also jumped surprised not having seen it coming before giving the wand a… Harry didn’t know exactly but it looked like a disapproving look but not quite, he wasn’t sure.

“Nope, not that one.” said Ollivander presenting him with another wand. This one 12’ chestnut and dragon heartstring. 

When Harry waved it, it was a shelf that went flying.

This could take a while…

-B-

And a while it was taking indeed. A couple of hours had already passed in which Hagrid had poked his head in to check on him many times, and still they hadn't found the wand for him.

Harry had lost count of how many wands he had tried after the 30th. At one point Drac had come and perched on his head and had stayed there ever since, sometimes chattering softly.

Now Ollivander was presenting him a new wand again, but this time there was a strange look in his eyes.

“11’ holly and phoenix feather core.”

The moment Harry closed his hand over it. Something utterly strange happened.

The wand shook, before bursting into flame while unleashing a horrible wailing sound that scared Harry badly, making him drop it. Back pedalling away from the wand, he watched it burn until only a pile of ashes was left on the floor. A strangled sound made him look at the old man.

“That never happened before... The wand just killed itself! What...?” was Ollivander stumbled and confused comment. When he had made this wand with that specific phoenix feather, Dumbledore had told him to give it to the Potter child and that this would be the perfect wand for the lad. The Headmaster had disregarded him when he had explained to him that wands didn’t work like that. The wands choose their wizard, not the other way around. Now seeing the extreme result a wand could go at finding itself with one they didn't want, it was telling. No, this lad needed a wand that wasn't already made.

Ollivander looked at the child before beaconing him as he turned to go to the back of the shop, and into his workshop.

“Come Mr. Potter, it seems that you need a custom made wand.” he said.

Harry followed him after a moment of hesitation. Cautious of the man still.

When he entered the new room after the old man, he looked around, taking the room in. It was filled with shelves stocked full of things. From wood blocks, sticks, parchment rolls, jars and other things that must be needed to make wands. There were 3 tables. The one on the left was full of different looking woods, while the one on the right had different looking things. Some he saw as ingredients at the potion shop. The last table, the one in the middle, had a chair and many tools.

“Alright, now to make this wand you will need to find the wood or woods that call to you the most. To find it, you just have to close your eyes and pass your hand over the different samples I have on this table. You should feel a pull from your chest when you find it.” explained the wandmaker.

Starting to feel excitement at the thought of helping make his own wand, Harry nods before going to the left table. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and blocked out everything around him before lifting his hand to the woods.

He stayed still like this as he listened. Not to sounds, but to something only he could hear since he was really young. A unique kind of song he never understood but had always listened to. It was this song that had determined that fateful night that the huge vampire bat wouldn't hurt him.

So as he listened to this inner song he hovered his hand over wood sample to wood sample, until the song sung louder for 3 of them. He picked them up and opened his eyes to look at them.

Two of the woods were of a blackish color while the last was a grayish white. Turning he presented the woods to the wandmaker.

“Ohhhh, how interesting you turned out to be Mr. Potter. 3 woods, I understand now why none of the other wands found you suited for them. You are too powerful for simple wands. Now lets see which woods have called to you.” he gathered the woods and looked at them. Shock filled his face, soon followed by wariness. A wizard wand’s wood is usually a representation of a person's very self. Often a prediction of what they would become later on.

“Ebony, the wood suited for those that have the courage to be themselves no matter what. Yew, a rare powerful wood for those said to have a great drive to protect and possessing power over life and death. And finally, Blackthorn, the wood of great warriors or those destined to become one…” he described the woods.

“My Mr.Potter, just with the woods alone your wand will be the most powerful wand I ever made. Great things are in store for you child. I can’t wait to see what core will suit this already powerful wand.” he said turning to the middle table. Sitting down on the chair, he told Harry to do the same with the cores on the last table, before he started working the woods. 

As Harry went to the table and closed his eyes, none saw the shadow tentacle slither on the table before retracting like it was never there, leaving something behind.

Harry followed the song like earlier, one hand closing over something hard and smooth, while the other followed the loudest singing till now. That hand closed over something silky and long like a horse tail.

Opening his eyes he looked at what was going to be his wand’s cores. The hard thing was some kind of bone he thought, then looked at the other core that revealed itself as a long, black, wavy and silky lock of hair. Of what kind he didn't know. It was too nice and soft to be a horse’s thought. He knew that because one day his school teacher had brought some things from farms to class. Horse tail hair was one of those.

He went to the wandmaker engrossed in what looked like wood carving and put the cores on the table.

“Good, good now find someplace to sit while I finish this. There are some benches at the store front.” he said distractly, not looking up from his work.

Having nothing else to do, Harry did just that.

-B-

Harry had to wait around 30 minutes before the wandmaker was done with his wand. During that time he had sat on a bench at the front humming gently and petting Drac’s soft fur.

Ollivander soon came back to the front of the store and held a black wand box in his hands.

He had a weird look in his eyes, like he was amazed but there was something that looked like fear also but not quite. Maybe dread?

The man put the box down on the counter and looked at Harry intensely when the child joined him. The terrifying bat holding onto his jacket.

“In all my years making wands, yours Mr. Potter is the most powerful and unique one I have ever made and maybe the last. Let me tell you a little secret.” he says leaning forward a little. “I do not decide what a wand looks like once done. It is the wand itself that guided my hand into what it wanted to be. And yours… yes, it is very special indeed.” he opened the box displaying the wand inside.

Harry’s mouth opened in an O of wonder as he took in his wand. It was beautiful. Black and white. The handle being the white yew, was carved as a majestic dragon. The two different black woods seemed to be fused and twisted together forming the shaft. Giving the polished surface a dual black coloring.

With care Ollivander took it out of the box.

“11’, triple woods of ebony, yew and blackthorn with a dual core. A shard of an ancient dragon’s spike that legends say to have been slain by the first Prince of romania. Also rumoured that it is this same dragon that represents the Dracul family crest. This was found in the mountains surrounding an old castle in Wallachia.” he explained.

“The other core on the other hand, I'm sorry to say that I can't tell you anything about it. This isn't a core I have seen until today. I don't remember seeing it on the core table either. But there is one thing I can tell you about it. This is the hair of a very powerful and old creature. Very dark also. I would have said vampire hair but it is too powerful to be.” he said presenting the wand handle to the child

The moment Harry touched the wand, this overwhelming feeling of fiery protectiveness wrapped around his very being. Like nothing could hurt him anymore, he was safe. If he could, he would be crooning in bliss. 

From the tip of his wand, a blood red misty filament of light burst out, surrounding him like a flying ribbon before growing and growing seemingly taking up the whole shop's space before changing into the most majestic looking dragon he had ever seen. The dragon’s head, the size of Harry’s body, laid in front of him looking at him with a focused slit pupil. Its body curling over and around him, its wings forming a dome over them. The tip of its tail ending at the end of his wand.

The only way Harry could describe the dragon, was ancient. It looked old and wise… maybe it was because of the fur it had along its jaws that ended as a lengthy goatee at the end of its chin. It had big and strong looking horns starting over its brows and curling in the air. On the side of its head there were pointy looking frills. There was also one under its head all the way to its throat. From behind the horns, long spikes raised to the sky all the length of its spine.

Harry locked eyes with the single one staring at him. The stare looked soul deep, as if it was seeing his whole being. And still this feeling of protection and safety persisted even in the face of this mighty creature of old tales and legends.

Without realising it, he raised a hand to touch the dragon’s head. It wasn't physically there though, it was a manifestation of light. But still, where his hand would have touched scales, a warm tingle met his hand. He let out a giggle at the feeling.

“Hi.” he said gently in a mesmerized voice. The dragon blew misty red smoke from its nose before its eye moved to the bat watching it from the top of the child’s head where it had crawled to when the wandmaker had given the kid the wand. It let out a ghostly grumbling purring sound before looking at Harry again as it started to fade away.

“I never thought I'd ever see that kind of bonding manifestation. It is the rarest of them.” the wandmaker breathed in awe. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he looked at Harry. “You Mr. Potter are very special, great things await you indeed. Usually it is colorful sparks that we see during a bonding. This was a manifestation of your wand's very soul. Generally taking the form of the creature its core is made of. Only 17 instance of this kind of manifestation were ever recorded. One of which was a unicorn. None was a Dragon. Even less of this breed. It is said to have gone extinct 1000 years ago. Yes, the ancient red dragon. Guardian of treasures and princesses.”

Harry looked at his wand, eyes wide in even more awe. Petting the dragon carving of the handle gently, he wasn't sure he imagined the pulse it gave him, like a cat bumping its head under your hand.

One thing he was sure of, is that this wand was his and no one else's.

_To be continued..._

_this be the shape of Harry's wand_

and this would be the wand's soul manifestation^^


	3. Train's encounters

September 1st came soon enough. Now sitting in the scarlet train as it made its way to school, Harry read one of his books.

He had pulled the window blinds, making the compartment dark. More appropriate for his bat, which was hanging curled in his wings in the dark corner of the luggage rack over his head. In the shadow and immobile, Drac was almost invisible if it wasn't for his glowing red eyes you wouldn't know he was there.

It was his first time on a real train, the underground with Hagrid wasn’t the same. You didn’t really feel its motion. Not like this one where he could feel all the motions it did. A bit like in a car but more somehow. 

Engrossed in his potion book, he absently petted his new pet owl that was resting on his lap. Her white feathers almost glowing in the low light coming from the door. He hummed remembering how he got her.

-B-

_ He had all his school supplies now, looking at his list to check there wasn't anything missing. _

_ “Oh gotta get supplies for the school owls.” Hagrid said suddenly. “Come ‘Arry to this store.”  _

_ Harry follows him to a store named Owls Emporium. Entering, he looked around. Bird cages and perches were everywhere and let's not talk about the owls themselves. But he noticed that everytime he locked eyes with one they would puff up or fly to the rafters. It was strange, were they… were they afraid of him? Why? Did he do something wrong? _

_ “Hoooooo!” _

_ The loud hoot made him look to a dark corner to see golden eyes look at him intensely. There was something strange in the eyes itself. He was sure he saw them flash silverblue for a second.  _

_ “Hoooooo.” came again, softer, from the white owl that seemed to glow with a bluish inner light in the dark.  _

_ Drac chose that moment to crawl out and unto his head. He startled badly as all the owls around him puffed up or flew to the rafters the moment after. All beside the white one. _

_ “Wha…?” was his baffled response. What had just happened? _

_ A crooning sound from the white owl made him look at it as it took flight and came to perch on a cage beside him. Staring at him regaly, as if judging him. _

_ The bat on his head made a sudden hissing sound. The owl just straightened and stared down at the bat hard. Faster than he could react the owl had snapped its head forward and clacked its beak in Dracula’s face and barked loudly. _

_ Jumping back in surprise the bat had almost fallen from his head if he hadn't caught himself with Harry’s hair. Hanging there in shock for 3 seconds before indignant chattering burst out of the bat’s mouth as he crawled back up. Almost like he was raging at the owl or insulting it. The owl stared him down imperiously like he was an insulant hatchling. That is, not impressed at all. _

_ “OH! Be careful child this owl is dangerous! She will attack you if…” the store owner trailed off when the owl crawled onto his arm and crooned as he pet the feathers on her chest. The owl completely ignored the indignant bat as the child petted her. _

_ Hagrid came over soon after. _

_ “Ah ‘Arry did you find an owl?” he asked, setting the 3 big bags of owl feed on the counter. “That a pretty one for sure.” he stated. “Why don’t you get her a cage? Yeh will need an owl for letters. Not sure yeh bat would appreciate being used as a messenger bird. They don’t make good ones anyway as they would be sleeping the day.” _

_ Dracula snapped his head toward Hagrid and glared. Angry at the comment about being a messenger bird or the insinuation he wouldn't deliver letters well, was unsure. But it was true that Harry would need an owl for post. He didn't want to use his friend that way either. It just didn’t feel right doing so. _

_ “But Hagrid, I don't have enough left to buy her.” he said sadly. _

_ “No worry ‘Arry, it be yeh birthday present.” the giant says happily. _

_ “Really!?” Harry exclaimed, eyes sparkling. _

_ And this was how Hedwig became his new owl. _

-B-

He was snapped out of his memories by his compartment door slamming open. Hedwig making a displeased hoot and turning to glare at the red haired boy with dirt on his nose standing in the doorway.

“I'm looking for Harry Potter.” he states. Before staring at the black haired boy with the owl in his lap and holding a book. He grimaced seeing this.

_ Erg, a book lover. _ He thought.

“Why are you looking for him?” asked Harry warily, happy that he had let his hair grow enough that it hides the faded scar on his forehead.

“I'm going to be the Boy-Who-Lived best friend, we will go into Gryffindor together.” he proclaimed impetuously.

Harry just looked at him baffled. What?

“ _ Caution Ronald, it is unwise to barge in a Keeper’s lair like an uncivilised lout~ _ ” said a dreamy voice behind the newly named Ronald.

“What do you want, Loony? Don't you see I’m in the middle of something?” he sneered at a petite silver blond haired girl that seemed to be looking beyond what was in front of her.

“ _ The Nargles told me that I should come and greet those in this compartment and introduce myself to the Keeper~ _ ” she says.

“Whatever Loony.” was his response before leaving to search the rest of the train for Harry Potter.

“ _ Greetings, may I enter the court?~ _ ” she asked dreamily but politely outside the door. 

“Euh… sure..?” Harry said, completely confused.

She bowed before gliding inside and sitting on the bench in front of Harry.

“ _ I offer welcomes, Keeper of the Night, New Prince, Lady guide. I am named Luna Lovegood~ _ ” she introduced herself. Drac, having crawled over to hang just above Harry’s head, looked at the strange girl intrigued, head tilted to the side.

“Ah...nice to meet you Luna, I’m Harry Potter.” he said hesitantly. “This is Dracula and Hedwig” he presents his companions. She nodded in greeting. “Would you like to stay for the rest of the trip? If it doesn't bother you that is.” he offered.

“ _ It is an honor to be invited into a Keeper’s court, I will stay~”  _ was her response.

Drac chose that moment to chatter quietly. Luna’s gaze became suddenly focused as she looked the bat in the eyes.

“ _ Danger hunts the Night, it will prey on the Guiding Lights, the Dragon may be too late to save this Guide~” _ she suddenly states, eyes still locked intensely on Drac’s red ones. The bat tilted his head to the other side making a confused sound. But they received nothing more as the girl's gaze became dreamy and unfocused again.

“ _ Oh, I hope there will be pudding at the feast. I love pudding~”  _ she stated randomly. The others just blinked as one.

-B-

Harry breathed the wet air of the night deeply as they stepped out of the train. Excited chatter surrounded him as the students left the train. Hedwig had flown ahead to the owlery and Drac was making circles over the train station.

He followed the call of “ _ Over here first years! Over here! _ ” from Hagrid standing at the end of the dock. 

The giant leading all first years to the lakeshore, where the stars glowing bright like mystical fireflies reflected on the water surface. The full moon lighting the way.

Getting in a boat like instructed, he was soon joined by a nervous dark blond boy and Luna. Soon they were soaring across the lake. He gasped in wonder when the castle overlooking the lake from a clift suddenly shimmered into view. Like a mist was suddenly lifted from over it. The moon and stars standing guard above it.

He couldn't explain the feeling he felt at that moment. Like he was suddenly embraced the moment the castle appeared. Feeling like he was welcomed by a ghostly hug. For lack of a better word, it was magical.

A sudden screech was his only warning before his head was wrapped in big wings as Drac landed on his favorite perch. 

The nervous boy made a scared squeak as he thought they were being attacked. But then looked bemused as the creature revealed as being a big bat made itself comfortable in the boy’s messy hair. He watched the boy not even reacting besides steadying himself at the sudden weight on his head. Like it was a normal occurrence. He flinched, though as the bat suddenly stared at him with glowing red eyes. The intelligence in them was wrong. It shouldn't be possible. This bat was more than it appeared. It was dangerous. He subconsciously curled up trying to make himself smaller and unthreatening.

“ _ Fear not Sleeping Knight, the Keeper has no quarrel with you. He won’t be feasting on your stream of life∼ _ ” was Luna’s sudden comment to the boy as she looked at him with an unfocused gaze. 

The boy just looked at her, confusion marking his whole face. Harry then turned to him when he could finally see again and didn’t have bat wings in his view.

“Oh hi, don’t mind Drac he does that often. He likes scaring others or making them startle. He’s not gonna hurt you.” Harry said to him and reached a hand to pat the bat. The boy eyed the bat dubiously, not convinced one bit. There was dark amusement in its eyes.

The rest of the boat ride was passed in silence.

They finally disembarked at an underground docking bay under the castle, where a strict lady was waiting for them.

She introduced herself as professor McGonagall then started to describe the four Houses of the school and their quality. She also describes the Houses’ point system and how you earn points or lose them. She then led them up the stairs and into the castle itself. Where she proceeded to bring them up more stairs to finally stop in front of huge double wooden doors and told them to wait here for her to come back for them.

The soft chatter of the children was suddenly cut by a high pitched cackling laugh.

“Oh ho! New firsties for Peevesie to play with?” said a little ghostly silver man wearing a funny looking hat and juggling filled colored balloons in his hands.

“Let's Peevesie welcome his new friends.” he declared before starting to attack the students with his balloons. Balloons that were luckily only filled with cold water.

But the moment that one hit Harry on the shoulder, the ghost suddenly freezes mid throw. Then slowly lowered his arm looking around with sudden fearful wariness. Something in the air had changed. Something that even the poltergeist could sense. The room actually darkened oppressively. The students flinched and gathered close. All but Luna and Harry. The latter stood in shock as the cold water seeped into his clothes.

The sudden dark threatening hiss made the poltergeist snap his attention to the sound, only for all to see his eyes widened in fear. He slowly backed away, losing his grip on the rest of the balloons where they dropped to the ground. With a soft whimper he turned around to dash at a wall. But this time he didn't faze through it, he painfully bounced off of it. Like the living would normally do when dashing at a wall like this.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?” McGonagall's voice suddenly broke out. But she was ignored as Peeves let out a wail of terror looking at the dark bat.

“PEEVESIE IS SORRYYYYY! HE WON’T TOUCH THE SUCKLING AGAIN!” he wailed, this time dashing for the door. Leaving everyone speechless.

“What the bloody hell was that?” asked the redhead from the train.

“Language Mr. Weasley.” stated McGonagall. “Now if you could all follow me, we are ready to start the sorting.” she said, giving the surrounding a last look around before opening the Great Hall doors.

Harry was amazed at the hall ceiling. The stars and moon just like outside but knowing from one of his books that it was charmed to look like the sky over the castle and not actually roofless. He let out a soft “wow” admiring it.

Once they were at the front of what was apparently the staff table, McGonagall went to the stool standing up the stage with an old wizard hat. She was holding a scroll in her hand. Then the hat started to sing…

Harry cringed the same moment Drac made a tortured sound and tried to block the voice from entering his big ears with his wings. That hat didn't have one ounce of singing talent. It was horrible, the sound ears bleeding inducing.

Everyone seemed relieved the moment it stopped. But Drac, deeply offended that this thing even existed, let it be known with an angry screech before taking flight to show his displeasure, making angry chattering circling over the hat and glaring at it. The hat suddenly spluttered.

“In all my years I have never been this insulted! I do NOT sound like a dying diseased riddled whoring banshy!” he exclaimed. “You’re lucky that you’re flying and that I have no hands or legs to strangle you! You damn flying mouse!”

Many gasped, scandalised.

“HAT! There are children here!” exclaimed McGonagall.

“Tell that to the flying mouse!” replied the headwear.

With a last screech the “ _ flying mouse _ ” left to go hang himself on one of the house's banners. He watched from there, glaring at the hat.

Clearing her throat, McGonagall unrolled the scroll.

“When I call your name, please come forth so the Sorting Hat may place you into your house. Abbott Hannah!” she instructed.

And it went like this for a while until she reached a name and looked at the scroll confused for a bit before calling the name unsure.

“Potter-Tepes-Hellsing Harry!”

A hush fell on the Hall. Everyones looking at the rest of the unsorted first years. Many confused about why the Boy-Who-Lived had two other names. But every muggleborns even more confused about why he had two names associated with the fictional Dracula, where one was even renowned to have been a powerful organisation for the crown, now gone as the last Hellsing died almost a decade ago. But the one more confused than everyone else was Harry himself. Wondering if this was the Harry Potter that the redhead was actually searching for on the train. Unsure, he stepped forward a bit, but when no one else did so he made his way to the stool slowly, confusion all over his face.

Up on the banner, the bat was frozen in shock, watching the child, eyes wide. Not at the Hellsing name as that was a big possibility, but at the other name. Tepes… the last time he heard this name, was when he was still mortal. Why did his Little master have his true family name? What a mystery this child was. Even after 5 years he still manages to surprise him.

An impossible shark smile appeared on his face. He couldn’t wait for the time he would finally bring him back to the Hellsing manor. Seras was bound to be excited. She was still taking care of the estate in his absence and awaiting his return with the new Hellsing heir. Not that she knew he had found him all those years ago. He was just waiting for the right moment to return.

“SLYTHERIN!” the hat announced.

Seeing that his little master seemed uncomfortable at all the staring once he sat at the green table. Drac took flight and gave a warning before flopping on the child's head. Effectively distracting him from the starings.

“Oumf! Drac I'm not a landing pad.” he protested without actual fire, glad for the distraction it was. Drac snickered before crawling down the child's arm and onto the table in front of him.

“Wait, that bat is actually yours?” asked Blaise after sitting in front of them. He was the last to be sorted. Harry nodded. “It's a pretty big bat, what kind is it? I don't think I ever heard of one like this.” he leaned forward studying the bat.

“Oh, he’s a Romanian vampire bat actually… but I think he's a magical one too because of his size and coloring. His name is Dracula.” Harry said with a smirk, amused at the deadpan look on Blaise's face.

“Right, named after the iconic fictional vampire king. Well at least it fits him.” the dark italian boy said looking at Drac. The latter ignored him to sniff around the different dishes that had appeared on the tables.

“So Potter, I never heard of the Hellsing or Tepes family before. Wut are they? Muggles?” Malfoy asked with a disgusted sneer. Harry opened his mouth to say something but closed it not knowing what to actually say. Having no idea where the names even came from or if they had any actual magical history, beside the fact that the name Hellsing featured in the Dracula story written by Bram Stoker. 

He didn't need to, as Drac suddenly hissed angrily at Malfoy like he had personally insulted him. The blond yipped and jumped backward when the bat made a launch at him. But Harry quickly caught his friend and held him with his back to his chest as he tried to go at the boy.

“Woh Drac! What's gotten into you? Calm down!” he said, struggling to hold the thrashing bat. He was stronger than appearances suggested.

“Potter! This beast is mental! Keep it away from me!” exclaimed Malfoy.

“What did you do!? He has never done this before! You must have done something!” 

“I did not!”

Harry suddenly hissed in pain when in his thrashing Drac accidentally claws his arm deeply. At the hiss the bat froze suddenly. Making a strange noise and going limp in his arms. Harry startled and started to panic realising he couldn't feel the bat’s heart beats anymore or him breathing.

“Drac!!!” he cried trying to be calm as he gathered the bat gently in his arms. The strangest thing was the bat was looking at him after turning his head and blinking once. But for all he was feeling under his fingers it was as if he was dead. No heartbeat. What was going on?

“And what is going on here?” asked a dark voice softly. “Potter, already seeking attention even before class starts? Just like your father…” trailed the man that seemed to have appeared at the table. Harry flinched and curled up making himself small. A low growl was heard the same time the man seemed to take a deep breath and unconsciously backed up a step. In Harry’s arms, the bat came back to life, flipping himself over to snarl at the man.

The man made an unperceivable full body shiver. Feeling a sudden danger in the air once he caught the child’s scent, the smell had a pronounced underline of blood but he brushed it off. It was Potter, nothing about that spoiled attention seeking brat was a danger to him. But the bat though, he sneered at it. A bat wouldn't be a problem to him either, even an abnormally big one. The glowing eyes though, did Potter charm them to make him look more attention seeking? In any case it will be gone soon. He won't let Potter break the rules as he pleased.

“Mr. Potter… Bats are not on the approved pet list. I want to see it gone by tomorrow night.” he said before turning around and returning to the staff table.

Shocked, Harry held the bat to his chest in a protective hug. Confused and afraid that someone will come and snatch his only friend from his arms.

The older slytherins watched their Head of house walking away shocked. What had just happened? Why had he attacked one of their own like this? Alright it was Potter sure, but this was no excuse. The child actually looked like he had no idea what he meant to the wizarding world, having looked around the hall like he had never seen magic before. Just like the muggleborns... And if this didn't raise red flags for the older Snakes. Potter was the Heir of an old Pureblood family. Sure a Light side one but a pureblood one nonetheless. They will need to check about this. If the Potter heir didn't know anything about his family responsibility… How many families had he insulted without knowing it, if he wasn't taught proper etiquette? It wouldn't be the child's fault. They will need to teach him what he should have known if it was the case.

So what happened to the Snake house’s golden rule? _ Watch and protect each other outside the common room, stay united and do not show any exploitable weakness to the other houses. _ Not only did Snape openly attack a first year that had just joined but he threatened to take away what looked like the child’s actual Familiar not a pet, because that bat was too intelligent to not be so. And beside the improbability of it being a secret animagus, it wouldn't have that level of interaction with the child if it were a simple animal. So the only explanation was that this was his Familiar.

The other houses watched in startled silence as the integrity of the snake table beside the new firsties, seemed to turn as one and glared fiercely at their own Head of house.

Up at the staff table, one person realised that something really bad just took place. And for the whole snake pit to express this level of ire… to their own Head. Even he, as cruel as he could be, knew that this was cause for concern. Almost nothing could break the slytherins unbreakable unity in the face of the outside world. His host, also a snake, was feeling this concern. And in a rare united goal, they turned to the potion master that had just sat back down. A stormy look in his eyes as he growls about Potters and breaking school rules because of celebrity.

“Ah eh S-Severus? I-I-I think you m-made a t-terible mistake r-right now…” Quirrel said. Starting to get worried at the intense glares directed at his colleague so suddenly from the snakes.  _ What the bloody hell did he do? _

“What are you talking about, you insufferable fool? You think I will let this spoiled attention seeking Gryffindor get away with breaking the school rules?” snarled Snape turning his glare to the one sitting beside him. Something in Quirrel seemed to suddenly shift, nervousness disappearing like it never existed. 

“... Severus, Potter is a  _ Slytherin _ .” he stated slowly and quietly. Insisting on the Slytherin part, like if he was talking to a really thick and slow child. Before Snape could open his mouth to protest his claim, something shifted almost imperceptibly in the man's voice. “You just attacked one of your snakeling’s  _ unprovoked _ in front of the whole school!” was the low angry hiss. Low enough that the others at the table didn't hear. “Do you have any idea what you just did?” he continued with a fierce glare that reminded Snape that Quirrel was once a Slytherin himself. “ _ Look!”  _ he discreetly waved a hand to the great hall, more specifically the green table.

Turning to indulge the usually nervous man, Snape was hit with the full brunt of the Slytherins’ angry glares. He flinched. Before actually noticing that Potter was sitting, not at the Lion’s table, but at the Snake’s and that his tie was silver and green, not red and gold. He had been so caught in his hate of Potter’s father, that in his blindness he made a terrible mistake… he broke the sacred golden rule of the Snakes.

And this was an unforgivable mark on himself for all the other Slytherins. And they will make him remember it for the rest of their education here.

He had really messed up this time…

_ To be continued… _


	4. First classes and Romanian soup

The first day of class, there was an excited buzz surrounding the first years. During the weekend following the sorting, the Slytherin’s prefects had shown them around, where all the classes were situated and some shortcuts to get there faster.

Harry followed his year group as they climbed the dungeon stairs. Drac chattering on his head, still seemingly fascinated by the moving portraits. And even Harry was fascinated by them. They moved like they were actually real people and animals. Interacting and talking back to them like they were just on the other side of a window glass. He even saw some travel to other frames. He had checked behind one to see if it was a very special TV screen, but no, it was just a simple painted canvas in a wooden frame. There was no electric wires plugged into an outlet on the wall

They were on their way to their first transfiguration class and Harry couldn’t wait for them to do magic. Although his enthusiasm was a little soured by all the other houses staring at him like he was a zoo exhibit or glaring like he did something wrong. Which Dracula didn’t like either and would often be seen hissing at those that stared, or glared too long, but not doing anything else about it. They weren’t hurting him, just making him uncomfortable. Especially the whispers about his scar and why his glasses and hair didn’t look like the books said. What books? He was in books? What for? He didn’t remember doing anything deserving being in books.

And what was with that name? The Boy-Who-Lived. Yes he’s alive, being dead would be a downer for sure but why would they give him a name like this? The others were also alive and they didn’t have a stupid name that stated the obvious like that. So why?

Anyway, his group had reached the classroom. They seemed to be the first to arrive as the room was empty, beside a tabby cat sitting on top of the teacher’s desk. 

Choosing a desk at the front, Harry put his bag next to the chair and sat down. Drac crawled down to come rest on his desk and observe the class. His eyes often returning to the cat, as if trying to solve a puzzle. Harry decided to prepare his stuff meanwhile absently running his fingers in Drac’s fur, scratching the place between the wings. He wouldn't have been surprised if the bat had started actually purring, if the look of pure bliss on his face was any indication.

It wasn’t long before the rest of the students arrived, loud and some even shoving others to get to a seat first. Harry frowned, they acted like a bunch of preschoolers, not like eleven year olds. His group hadn’t acted like that.

He realized that they were all wearing the red and gold tie. The Gryffindors? That was the name yes? Although the bushy haired one was starting to grate on his nerves with her textbook facts vomit. He wasn't the only one annoyed by her if he judged the glares sent her way by not only the other lions but the snakes too. 

Once everyone was seated and the bell had rung, the students started to look around for the teacher that still hadn’t shown up yet.

The chatter was interrupted by the door slamming open and an out of breath Ronald stood panting there trying to catch his breath. He was soon joined by a nervous Neville who looked at the door that had banged against the wall.

“HA! We made it before the teacher, no thanks to you!” the redhead said glaring at the blond. Neville babbled protestations before they were interrupted by a loud meow. Everyone turned their heads just in time to see the tabby jump from the desk and change midair into the missing professor McGonagall.

_ COOL! I wanna learn to do that too! _ Was Harry’s awed thoughts. Before realising that it was the teacher and that she had been here all along. Hopefully he made a good impression on her. More than the lions he hoped at least.

After she admonished the late lions, she returned to the front of the class and stood beside her desk. The next 30 minutes was an introduction to transfiguration where she gave the class some demonstration in each of its fields. The desk turning into a goat was very interesting. Could you actually turn someone into a toad though or maybe a pig? Better keep that question to himself he thought, thinking about turning Dudley into one. Although he bet it wouldn’t actually work cause his cousin already looked like one.

McGonagall then passed around matches to everyone and showed them their first spell. Turning a match into a needle.

Dracula, which had been very well behaved and attentive to the lecture, looked at the match that was given to Harry then at the child. Standing up on his back legs on his pile of books, wings fold to his body and waiting. Looking like he was sitting patiently for him to try his first casting. 

Taking his wand out of his arm sheath, oblivious to somes jealous look at its unique appearance, he waved it as McGonagall showed and say the incantation.

Nothing happened.

Harry frowned at the match and tried again.

He got the same result. Nothing. The match was still a match.

Drac made an encouraging croon, urging him to try again.

Harry tried again but this time the match took a metallic sheen. He let out a small “ _ yes!”  _ of victory. It wasn’t a needle at all but it did change somehow.

But there were no other changes after that. He tried and tried again but nothing changed anymore. It stayed looking like a shiny match.

Harry was starting to get frustrated at the lack of progress.

Meanwhile, Drac had figured out what the child was doing wrong, he wasn't visualising the result he wanted. But how to tell him without giving himself away to the whole class? Thinking for a bit, he suddenly remembered seeing the spell in the child’s books. Book he was currently sitting on.

Crawling off the book he flipped the hard cover open and carefully turned the pages with a wing claw until he reached the right page and there, there was a drawing of a match and a needle with two arrows curving from each to the other. Also giving the reversing spell to turn the needle to the match.

Turning the book with his hidden strength so it was facing the kid he chatted to get his attention and pointed the needle with a wing when he got it.

Harry looked confused at the bat that was tapping the needle image until realisation crossed his face. Turning back to his match he clearly imagined how he wanted his needle to look and just to see if it would work, imagine it being red before trying again. And to his delight the match turned exactly how he wanted. Blood red and perfectly shaped. He was one of the first to change it completely to the jealous glare of the bushy haired girl at not being the first to get it right.

-B-

Minerva had been keeping an eye on the Potter child since he entered the school. One because he was the child of two of her dear cubs but also because she hadn’t approved of Albus’ decision of placing him with the Dursley.

First because they were muggles and second because of what Lily had told her of her sister and from what she had herself seen that night watching them. 

They weren’t deemed ok to take care of their own child, even less of a magical one. But as always Albus had brushed her concern aside and did what he deemed being for the “Greater Good”.

Well it wasn't for the child’s greater good that's for sure. Certainly not by leaving him on the doorstep, in only a blanket in november in the middle of the night. They weren't called toddler for nothing. He could have wandered off during the night and be driven over by a car! Or worse an unscrupulous person snatching him up. And that only from the muggle side. Let's not talk from the magical one.

Which is why she had returned to the kit when she was sure Albus had left and had curled in the basket in her cat form until the morning where the aunt had found him, keeping him warm and safe during the night. 

Although she couldn't stay like she wanted and take him away from them, she had returned sometimes during the years to see how he was doing. Hiding among Figg’s hoard of cats.

The way they had treated him was wrong. Like a house elf, had angered her. But she was powerless.

Until sometime during the years, she had returned and found the strange bat now hanging with the child one day. It hadn’t left ever since and the scent of blood that came with it either. Now it was part of the child's permanent scent.

Since then the child had looked better, dare she say it, more happy and fed. Although still tiny and skinny. It had relieved her some. She had been happy to smell his healthier scent when he was babysat by Figg. 

The bat though, it had given her a wary feeling the moment she saw it for the first time. There was something about it that was warning her that this was a very dangerous predator. Its scent unsettling, danger, blood and death. This wasn't a normal bat at all. Even for a Familiar.

It was more so apparent as she watched it now in her class, flip through the book and turn it to Harry showing him something just before the child succeeded at turning his match into a needle. A red one at that even, the first student to do so.

This was  _ not _ a normal bat. Even maybe not one at all. But she had secretly cast the animagus revelation spell. It wasn't a hiding wizard. So what was it?

Nevermind, she will let it be for now, he wasn’t hurting any of her kits, she thought as she praised the child for being the first to turn his match and gave 3 points. His beaming smile was heartwarming to her old jaded heart.

This child was a strange snake. And how surprising that was. But… she had had an inkling to this outcome. She had seen him use cunning during some of her visits. Even if he acted more like a puff more often than not. He could have been a badger. But it looks like his hidden snake side was more pronounced than she saw. Yes a little badger in snake scales.

The next 7 years ought to be interesting. Maybe he would be the one to drag the slytherins out of their wary shell? The way the other houses treated the green and silver one had always bothered her. It wasn’t right. A parent’s crime should never be placed on their child. Even more so a crime from decades ago.

It was why she had always been fair in her class. Giving and removing points equally whatever the house. They were all her kits the moment they walked out of that train.

-B-

The buzz of students chattering in the Great Hall was loud. But the food was delicious and Harry didn't mind. It was background noise. He absently made a cut on his wrist with the knife. Pansy, sitting in front of him, opened her mouth to say something about his self mutilating, but he was already talking.

“Hey Drac, you hungry?” he adresse the bat that was sniffing around the dishes on the table.

The bat snapped his head up and chatter loudly at him before crawling to him and the food offered. Gently, he took hold of the wrist with his wings claws and lap at the blood, careful so none of his fang pierce the flesh. It wouldn't do for him to accidentally turn his little master into a ghoul now would it?

Once he was sure his friend was secured and on the way to filling his belly, Harry turned to Pansy and the other snakes looking at him with wide eyes.

“...what? He’s a vampire bat! I'm not gonna feed him fruits and bugs now am I?” he stated squirming under their gaze.

“Yes I get that, but you know the house elves can get blood for your bat you know? You don't have to hurt yourself everyday to feed him.” she says.

Harry frowned at her.

“I'm not hurt, see.” he stated once Drac was done, showing his wrist. The cut was gone, there wasn't even a mark indicating he even cut himself in the first place. “And beside Drac doesn’t like animal blood or reheat one. He like it fresh and from humans if possible. He's a picky eater.”

Dracula made a protesting chirp at Harry.

“Don't deny it, you know it's true.” say Harry calmly to his furry friend. And if possible those watching would have swear the bat was pouting.

Letting the others speculate on how he knew that and how there was no mark, Harry passed his gaze over the many different dishes on the table. Looking for one specific dish. A special chicken soup. Like he had since the first day. And as always was sad and disappointed at not finding it. So settle for the normal chicken soup in its place.

It was one he had dreamed of eating that one time he had been very sick and locked in his cupboard and the Dursley had left for a two week vacation. This and the mysterious dream man that gave it to him and took care of him. For the first time he had felt safe, warm and protected. Even if it was inside a dream brought up by sickness.

-B-

_ In the dark of the Dursley’s cupboard under the stairs, Alucard watched in worry his little master cough and shiver under the combined ratty blanket and black cape. People called him a monster, but never has he been this depraved or cruel as to lock a child that was visibly sick in a closet and leave for a two week vacation.  _

_ Those were what he would call monsters. This was what his little master's “family” were. Not even freak vampires would go to that level, preferring to either kill the child or eat them. Unless they were utterly insane. And even then they were usually the carnage inducing kind. _

_ In his time as Count long ago even servants were treated better than his poor little master was by his "family". All for something he had no control over. _

_ He seeth in murderous anger from where he hangs from the understairs, watching over the child as his breathing became raspier and quiet wimpers were heard. _

_ If those fat ass could finally leave, he would be able to do something for his master. Like get him out of the tiny closet and somewhere more comfortable for a sick boy. Maybe the couch? After that he will see… _

_ Finally the sound of a key locking the front door and a car leaving soon after was heard. Listening for a couple of minutes more to be sure they had really left and once there was no indication of them coming back, he melted in shadow. _

_ Only to reapered on the other side of the cupboard door. Eyeing the padlock on the tiny door he snarled, wanting so much to tore it apart but knowing it would be suspicious and they would think it was his little master. He didn't want to reveal himself so soon, something was telling him it wasn't the right moment yet. But those Dursley will pay once he does. Each passing year digging their grave deeper and deeper and his revenge more bloody. _

_ Unlocking the door with the key on a hook beside it, he then proceeded to carefully extract the child out. Blanket and cape with him. Harry made a soft whine and curling to him snuggling his face on his chest, his gaze unfocused.  _

_ Unconsciously the ancient vampire made a deep rumbling croon in the back of his throat and startled himself when he realised it. He stood there in shocked confusion for a minute, wondering at the fact he didn’t know he could even make that kind of sound. Another whimper from the child in his arms snapped him out of it. Walking to the living room, he looked around and decided the big couch was perfect and settled the child there. Absently tucking him in a cocoon with the blankets. _

_ Now what should he do? _

_ This was a first for him. He wasn’t Walter. He didn’t know everything a butler did. He was a Count, a Prince, A King. _

_ How do you take care of a sick child? _

_ But… maybe he did have the knowledge, he did consume a lot of souls. They are bound to be a couple of good healers in there. Nodding to himself he turned his attention inward, to the veritable army of souls he had. _

_ It took him a while to find a good one, half of the healers were no more than novice. Ironically, the one he chose was a medicine lady. Or like they were called in his time. Potion lady or witch. Which they actually weren’t 80% of the time. It was amusing how the non magical had always been quick to condemn others that were a little different on charges of witchcraft. Their own healers at that. Simply because they used plant infusions to heal sickness. Infusions that were most of the time not magical at all. _

_ From the symptoms he had observed from the child, he was highly positive it was a nasty flu. And he knows that one can heal the flu with chicken soup for one. Well the most popular way in the world anyway. But chicken soup isn't enough alone. No, the child also needs some medicine. And medicine of old was better in his opinion than the synthesized pill they give nowadays. This is where the potion lady knowledge came in. And how to make a simple syrup and a tea with plants he was pretty sure he saw growing in the forest surrounding the Hellsing estate.  _

_ Making sure his little master was comfortable and sleeping, he summoned Baskerville to keep watch over the child and melt into shadow. Traveling fast from shadows to shadows until reaching the Hellsing estate. Going to the forest surrounding the manor, he looks for the plants he will need. At the border of the path he found the yarrow and goldenrod. Now to find some wormwood. Walking further along the path leading to a little clearing he finally found it and collected as many as he could, like he did the other plants. _

_ Stopping at the Hellsing kitchen on his way back, he snatched one of the big jars of honey. Honey harvested from the estate's own beehives. And as an afterthought also one of the tea sets and one of the smallest saucepan. Not wanting to touch anything coming from those monster’s. _

_ Returning to his master's side he was surprised to find Baskerville laying on the couch and his master curled around the big black dog sleeping soundly. His tiny hands holding onto the hound’s fur like a safety blanket and his face nuzzled in the Grim neck. Leaning over he heard the child mumbling “padfoot” in his sleep. _

_ Curious. _

_ Did the child, in his dazed sickness, mistake his fierce Familiar for another dog? Is this “padfoot” the dog he saw in his little master’s memories that time? _

_ The dog made a soft whine, looking at him implorily. Alucard just smirks at his Familiar. _

_ “Now, now Baskerville. Be a good teddy for the little master.” he says going to the kitchen and ignoring the other whine of supplication from the Grim. _

_ Now to make that syrup for the child. Humming as he immerse himself in the potion lady knowledge. He put water into the tiny saucepan and put the yarrow inside, and waited until it boiled before lowering the burner to simmer until half the water was gone then add the honey. Mixing it well he let it simmer, checking the consistency until it stuck to the spoon. Taking the pot off the burner he put it aside to cool off as he started on the wormwood and goldenrod tea.  _

_ By the time the tea was ready the syrup had cooled enough to be taken without burning the child's mouth. Pouring the tea in a cup and one spoonful of syrup was added to it. _

_ Returning to the living room with the cup he noticed the child was awake and looking at him from over the Grim’s fur, his face still half hidden in it. Although his eyes were still holding a dazed and semi focused, feverish awareness. _

_ Ignoring the fact that he made the same crooning sound again he addressed the child. _

_ “I see you’re awake little maestru. It seems that you turned Baskerville into your teddy bear in your sleep however.” he says with an amused smirk not realising the was using the romanian word for master. _

_ Harry made a confused sound before turning his head completely to look at the tall dark man with red eyes. By doing so he released his hold on the Grim, which took his chance to escape and go sulk in a corner of the living room. _

_ The Count took a seat beside the child, presenting him the cup he was holding. _

_ “Now you are a very sick little maestru, so I made you a special tea to help you heal,” The child sat up and took the tea cup with two hands. The Vampire helped him hold and drink it. “It may taste strange, so be prepared. But I want you to drink it all.”  _

_ Harry’s nose twitched at the bitter taste that was smooth by the honey but beside that there were no other signs of his reaction to the taste. The warm liquid soothing his aching throat. He hummed at the warm going down all the way to his empty tummy. Which rumbled in hunger. _

_ A rumble the ancient vampire heard. _

_ The child was already falling back to sleep however. Tucking him back into a cocoon and watching him succumb to morphus hold, the vampire hummed a lullaby absently while searching for the cooking knowledge he will need for something he hadn't eaten in over 500 years. Finding the recipe he was looking for, he set back to the Hellsing estate, leaving the child’s protection to his Familiar. _

_ Keeping to the shadows, he sneaked to the kitchen. Making sure no one was there he began his search for the things he will need. As he had never actually been in the kitchen more than moments to bother Walter long ago, he didn’t actually know where everything was. It took him awhile to find all the ingredients he needed. Now having all the ingredients he also took what he would also need to make the traditional romanian chicken soup. _

_ A big cooking pot, a salad bowl, a pan, a colander, a chef’s knife, a peeler, a lemon juicer, a wooden spoon and a louch went missing from the kitchen, to the frustration of the cooking staff later on. _

_ Mentally checking he wasn't missing anything he finally returned to his little master’s side for the last time. Finally back, he set everything in the kitchen and checked on the child to see he was still sleeping.  _

_ Nodding to himself he returned to his preparation. First, he places his ingredients on the clean counter (absently making his red coat disappear in shadow, storing it there with all his other belongings). _

  * _1 whole chicken_


  * 1 large onion


  * 1 red bell pepper


  * 1 large carrot


  * 100 gram celery root


  * large handful of parsley and lovage


  * 1 can of tomato cubes


  * about 100 grams of vermicelli noodles


  * 2 lemon


  * a bottle of olive oil


  * pepper and salt 



_ Once done, he fills the big pot with 3L of water and sets it on the big burner. Putting the whole chicken inside with the parsley and lovage. Then turning to preparing the other ingredients while waiting for the water to boil. He peeled the carrot and celery root, before cutting them into small cubes. Then did the same with the red pepper. The onion was next. He was actually relieved that there was no garlic in this recipe. They may not harm him if he touches or ingest them, like it would any other vampire but the smell still catches in his throat. _

_ While chopping the onion into little slices, he absently found the proceeding of food preparation soothing in a way. _

Hmmmm… this is not bad.  _ He thought, placing the chopped onions in the pan on the counter next to him with the other prepared ingredients. It was ready to be fried but he would wait till the chicken was ready before starting on the other proceeding. _

“ _ I may start making food for the little master, as it's not with those beasts that he’ll ever be fed enough… _ ”  _ he mumbled to himself as he lowered the fire on the boiling water to a simmer. He will have to wait 2 hour before the broth will be ready.  _

_ Thinking about it he wasn't that bad of a cook so far. But he didn’t taste his first dish yet. He will see then. Now wut to do in the meantime?... _

_ For the 2 hour where he had to wait, he had snooped in the house more thoroughly than he had before. Having had no worry of being discovered by the sleeping household now. Altho there were places he regretted having looked in. _

_ The Dursley bedroom closet being one. He shivered in disgust remembering the sex toys he found in there. He just couldn't imagine those 2 going at it. It was a disgustingly horrifying thought. _

_ Now he was deboning the chicken. This was the first time he ever did so, and was taking pleasure in tearing it apart with a bloodthirsty smile. _

_ The chicken ready, he finally starts on the frying, adding the oil to the pan before putting it on the burner. While stirring the pan he imagined the vegetables screaming in agony…  _

Hmmmm I may be in killing withdrawal. I'm imagining murdering greens now.  _ He thought before snickering at the thought. _

_ “Scream, no one will save you now… you will fill my master’s empty belly soon… very soon.” he said mockingly to the pan before adding the tomato cubes. _

_ Now came the moment of adding all those to the broth he had cleaned beforehand. But before that, he chopped the chicken in small pieces then added it all to the broth. Then he broke the vermicelli into little bits and dropped that in the pot too. _

_ As he let the pot simmer, he made the lemon juice with his fresh lemons then adding the juice to everything. _

_ "There, now let's hope all this is edible…" he says looking in the pot as he stirred the wooden spoon mixing it well. Scooping a bit of broth, he gently blew on it before tasting. Flavor exploded on his tongue, a flavor he hadn’t tasted in 500 years. _

_ “Hmmm, just like I remember. Not bad for a first time cooking anything.” he told himself a little proud. _

_ Once the noodles were ready and the vegetables soft, he took the pot of the burner to let it cool some. Humming, he realised he forgot to bring covers to eat the soup… he sneered at the Dursley’s dish cabinet over the counter. No he will not make his little master eat in those. _

_ Looking toward the living room pensively, he finally reached into his shadow storage. Arm halfway gone in what looked like a tear in reality, he searched around until he found what he was looking for. _

_ From the shadow he removed an ancient set of golden and red gold royal romanian fine china. These were his own personal set. One of a kind set. They hadn’t seen the light of nights or days in centuries. He fingered the engraved European dragons on the soup bowl pensively. None of his past masters ever knew just how much of his belongings from his time as Prince and Count he actually still have. All stored in his shadow storage. For this next 2 weeks his little master will eat like a Princeling he decided. _

_ He washed the bowl and matching spoon before filling it with soup. Finally he brought it to the living room. Setting it on the small table, he gently woke the child with the deep crooning sound rumbling at the back of his throat. _

_ “Now child, it's time to eat.” he crooned. Then the vampire spoon fed Harry until he was awake enough to feed himself. _

_ Dracula released the breath he had been unconsciously holding the moment Harry let out a mew of utter delight at the first spoonful of soup. The vampire let out a chuckle, amused when the child started to inhale his food afterward, although he listened when he asked to slow down so as to not choke. _

_ Yes, his little master will not hunger in his care. _

-B-

And the dream man had fed him that chicken soup that had a little sour taste, all that time he was sick until he had finally woke up one morning in his cupboard, not sick anymore with Drac chittering to him from where he was hanging from the understair.

He was sad when he woke up and found it had all been a dream, but still to this day look for the soup hoping it was a real dish and not one he had imagined.

He wouldn't have minded if the strange man dressed in red was real too. He had made him feel safe for the first time in his life.

The chicken soup he was eating right now was good, but the one of his dreams will always be his favorite one.

Finishing his bowl, he follows the rest of his year group for herbology class. Drac flying ahead in the light of day, to Harry’s eternal bemusement at this bat’s very strange behavior.

_ To be continued… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plant medicine tea and syrup, along with the soup recipes are actually the genuine thing and ones i have try myself.


	5. Potion and book heaven

Trailing behind his year group, Harry was a little nervous about his next class. It was his first potion class. Although he was fascinated about making real magic potions, it was the teacher that was making him nervous. The same teacher that had singled him out that first night. Like what had he done that night that a teacher had taken it out on him before he had even started school? Usually they did so after the first couple of classes. Usually because of Dudley’s lies.

But there was no Dudley here, so why was he singled out? Did he do something bad? His worrying was distracted by a bat’s screech ahead of the group before Dracula swip around a corner seemingly leading the group down to the dungeon’s potion class.

Not for the first time Harry marvel and his friend's high intelligence. He seems to remember things and places even after only being there once. And since he had been with Harry’s group when the prefects had given them the tour of the castle and where to find their classes, he was leading them to their next class. 

Another screech made the group stop as the bat made flapping sharp circles before a door. They had arrived and the door was closed. Deeming his mission done, Drac flopped down on Harry’s head. He gave a smug chattering as he made himself comfortable on the fluffy eternal bedhead.

Harry snorted before leaning on the wall beside the door to wait. Soon, the Gryffindors joined them with their loud and brash behavior… and Harry groaned under his breath at hearring potion facts vomited from Granger over all the other lions' voices. Next to him one of the snakes grumbles about Know it alls.

They didn’t have to wait long before the door burst open. Professor Snape was looking them down with implacable black eyes.

“Inside!” he barked, moving to the side to let them in.

They trickle into the dark classroom, Harry in last, tensing feeling a dark glare on himself coming from the dark man. On his head he felt Drac let out a dark warning hissing sound and was unsure if he had actually seen Snape flinch but didn’t linger on the thought.

He took the last seat available and looked at the other sitting at the table.

“Hi Neville.” he gently greeted the nervous Gryff.

“Hello Harry…” he said shyly.

This first class they won't be brewing anything. The next hour was a course on the different techniques to prepare their ingredients and beside the attendance list being glared at when his name was called, it went alright.

Professor Snape had passed around different expendable ingredients for them to practice what he had shown them earlier and had told them which ingredient a certain technique was to be used on.

So currently, Harry was trying to slice a bovine tongue. His face having a slight grimace at the slimy feel of it. Although many ‘ewwww’ from both lions and snakes were heard once they reached that particular ingredient. 

Next to him, Neville had an intense look of concentration on his face with the tip of his tongue poking out to the side. And between them both and sitting on the table was Dracula watching them attentively. One time he had even helped Neville by repositioning his hand properly to dice a beet root with his wing.

Neville had looked at the bat with such a strange expression on his face that Harry had almost snickered. He was so used to Drac's very strange and unnatural behavior that now, it was always funny to look at the other's reactions to his friend.

For all that the huge bat tried to seem normal he didn't really achieve it. Especially when he goes and does things like that.

"Your Familiar is very strange Harry…" said Neville carefully, not sure how the Potter heir would take his statement. It was considered very rude to insult someone's Familiar and it wasn't Neville's intention to do so. But this bat was so strange and unpredictable it had made his instincts howled to be careful of it. To not make himself be perceived as prey or a danger to Harry in this bat presence. And he had always followed his instincts, it had saved him from harm many times from the more dangerous plants of his family greenhouse.

Harry had a confused look on his face at the term for a second before shrugging.

“Drac? He's always been like that… Sometimes, I like to pretend that he is the real Dracula hiding incognito even though Hagrid told me that vampires can’t actually turn into bats and that the real Dracula didn’t exist.” says Harry still a little bummed that his favorite famous Vampire King wasn't real.

“That's because vampires lose their magic if they were wizards when they were turned.” explained Neville.

“What, that's actually true?” ask Harry. 

Neville nods. 

“So Snape’s not a vampire then…” was Harry's somewhat sad comment. Because even if the teacher had it against him from the start and was still giving him the stink eyes even now, he had been sure that the man was a vampire. He sure had the look of one after all.

On the table, Dracula the bat made a strange sound, and it took Neville a couple of seconds to realise that it was a sound of amusement at the same time Harry gave the animal a pout.

“Come on Drac! It was an honest assumption. Just look at him! All dark, hiding in shadowy corners, stalking and looking bloodthirsty…. Especially bloodthirsty.” he whispered loudly to the bat.

Humouring his little master, Drac turned his head toward the potion master, and actually took the time to really observe the dark moody man. He could understand his master assumption as the man could pass for one of those weak vampires of today at first glance. But that was at first glance, any vampire worth their pride could tell who was or not a vampire after all. This man was not, for one he lacked the distinct smell that all vampires had. And even as he smelled of blood it wasn't the same kind a vampire would. The smell was clearly from preparing certain animal parts for potion and mixes with herbal scent.

But there was something in his personal scent that took Drac a minute to identify. A scent that was clearly not fully human.

_ Oh? My aren't you interesting. Now why would you be here? Doing something you clearly don't seems to like? _

As under all the scents clinging to the dark man, was the scent of dark feathers. Severus Snape has become a lot more interesting for the ancient vampire in hiding.

-B-

Harry was following an older group of ravenclaws, he had heard them talk about going to the library for research. At the mention of the library, he had become very excited. So many books, he couldn't wait to see what they had on bats and vampires.

At the moment, Drac was riding on his shoulder. And to many students befuddlement, look to be somewhat curled/draped up with his head smuggly nuzzled against Harry's neck snoozing away.

The moment he stepped into the library, his breath was taken away by its splendor. At least 6 times bigger than the biggest library of surrey. With multiple floor levels. Each with floor to ceiling bookcases carefully filled with all kinds of books. He could also see from where he was, comfortable couches and tables in nooks, perfect places to read and study in peace.

For lack of better words he was awed. Some of the books were even moving and rearranging themselves in their appropriate places. Some were even flying around, hardcover flapping like wings.

_ Awesome! _

“Drac, look at all those books!” he whispered loudly. The bat made a sleepy chirp and turned his head to look around before making a pleased humming sound before hiding his face in Harry’s neck again, returning to his nap. Harry gave a found smile to his furry friend.

It was so big though that he was scared of losing himself in the isles. So he looked around searching for someone specific. He thinks he must have found this person as she was sitting behind an imposing desk not far from the entrance. The old lady was looking fiercely at any coming and going, watching all like a particular sharp bird of prey.

Cautiously, Harry walks toward the desk and the strict looking lady that had her hair in a tight bun and half moon glasses perched on the bridge of her nose and she turns her sharp gaze to him. She gave him a once over as if looking for something before addressing him in a sharp tone.

“Yes? Something you want? Out with it!”

He looked at her with wide eyes from over the edge of her desk. She blinked surprised at his size, but narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“M’sorry miss, but could you point me to the sections I can find the books on bats and vampires?” he asks timidly.

“Isle 3 for the bats and Isle 9 second level for vampires” she points out the respective isles.

“Thank you miss.” he says politely before going to the one she pointed for the bats.

Walking the isle, his finger trailing the littles engraved plates that were telling what subject was stored on each shelves, until he found the one that was saying bats. With a happy grin he started browsing the book covers and whispering the titles gleefully.

_ Bats and their uses _ _ ,  _

_ Anatomy of the bats _ _ ,  _

_ How to care for your bat _ _ ,  _

_ Fact or fiction: Bats edition _ _ , _ __

_ Lores and myths: Bats _ _ ,  _

_ Bats through the ages _ _ ,  _

_ Bats: All species and how to know which _ _ ,  _ and so much more.

“So many books on bats!” he says in a state of euphory. He could be dead that he wouldn't know the difference for he was sure he was in paradise. A full bookcase for just books on bats. He hasn't even got to the vampire isle yet. This was more books on bats he has ever seen in one place. The one on care was calling to him as it was the first time he ever saw one that talked of bat care for those that had bats. 

Taking some of the books and stacking them in his arms before leaving the isle to go to the next level for the vampire one.

Almost vibrating out of his shoes in his excitement, he quickly climbed the stairs leading to the second level.

Unable to nap because of the child's energy, Dracula had simply turned his head to look around him and was lazily, curled warmly to Harry’s neck, watching the child as he happily reached the vampire section. 

The child's enthusiasm for anything bats or vampires was alway amusing to watch. Even more so as he still hasn't realised that he was one in more than his bat species. For all that Harry's wanting to meet a real vampire, it was deeply amusing at the irony that he had met one since a long time ago and still interacts with that vampire to this day.

Tucking himself (he wasn't snuggling!) closer to his little master’s neck, he watches the child browse the vampire book’s titles with some curiosity himself.

_ Vampires: How to survive an encounter _ _ , (As if it's simple! You either are a really good vampire hunter or it lets you live. _ )

_ Kindred and kine _ _ , _

_ Tales of coffins _ _ , (What tales could that be? There’s not really that much space inside of them to do more than sleep.) _

_ Scandinavian wilds _ _ , _

_ World of darkness: Vile creatures of the night _ _ , (Oh how rude now.) _

_ Vampires and their uses in potion _ _ , (Seriously?) _

_ Dracula: Legends and Myths of old _ _ , (I feel pretty unmythical, how's that?) _

_ Tales and fables: Vampires around the world _ _ , _

_ The covens and nests: What are the differences _ _ , (It's kind of obvious, duh.) _

_ Vampire’s abilities: myths and facts _ _ , _

_ Blood cuisine: food recipes for vampires _ _ , (Oh? That looks interesting.) _

There were many, many more and while Harry would have loved nothing more than to read them all tonight it was impossible, so he took the one that looked the most interesting for now.

Although there was one thing that pleased the child greatly. There was not a single book of the Twilight saga. Those books had offended him greatly. Sparkling vampires, it was just wrong on so many levels.

Walking to one of the reading niches on that floor, Harry set his pile of books on the side table and sinked in the big padded chair that looked like an ancient lazy boy. Getting comfortable, he took one of the books and started to read as Dracula the bat settled himself on the child lap to get back to napping like a lazy cat would. Almost purring as the child starts to absently pass his fingers through the soft fur of his back and scratching all the good places.

So absorbed in his book  _ Tales and fables: Vampires around the world _ _ ,  _ Harry almost misses the 10 minutes before curfew bell. Snapping his head up in surprise, he looked at one of the closest clocks and was shocked to see he had missed supper and that he would have to run to reach the common room before curfew.

“Oh no! Drac we gotta go! Or we’ll be in trouble for being out of the common room after curfew.” Harry said, a little frantic. Gathering the bat in his lap and putting him on his head as he gathered all the books to check them out. He squirmed under madam Pince disapproving eyes as she checked them out and warning that he better returned them in the same condition they are. Nodding he put them in his bag and started on his way back to the common room at a run. Dracula having to take flight and guide his little master to the fastest shortcuts.

They got inside a minute before curfew.

_ $Hitting it very close there little one.$ _ mumbled a voice absently, not really addressing him.

Harry looked toward the voice and saw it came from the huge painting over the fireplace. The one the older students had said never talked to anyone and was rarely in his frame. No one knew who this painting was supposed to be as there was no name plate on the frame and he never answered their questions.

The man was in his late twenty. He had long black hair and the most peculiar eye color. Pale purple.

A little embarrassed for how close he had been to be in trouble, he shyly explained to the painting why, even if to be polite and without expectation of a response.

_ $I didn't mean to sir, I was in the library and didn't see the time passing.$ _

Many things happen at the same time the moment the first words left his mouth. The painting’s attention snapped forward to him, sitting straight. Many in the common room inhaled sharply in shocked surprise and Drac made a startled sound looking at his little master with shocked delight.

_ Oh my, little master you are still full of surprise! Hiding this very rare blessing of the sly tongue for all these years. _

_ $You… Child come here, stand in front of me.$  _ ask the painting.

Harry did so a little wary and cautious because of the startling reactions of everyone. The painting looked to be judging him from the way he was giving him the once over gaze.

_ $Sir?$ _

_ $You are very small little one…. Do you eat enough?$ _ asked the painted man gently.

_ $I.. ah yes?$ _ it came out more as a question than an answer.

_ $You don't seem sure. Is this an answer or don’t you actually know?$ _

_ $I eat!$ _ Harry stated.

The painting got an amused look in his eyes. This kid was cute, he thought. One of the rare children that he had seen passed in this common room over the years, one of the very few with the only gift able to communicate with him. 

For you see there had been a little glitch in the enchantment making his painting during his creation. So while he had all the memories and personality of the one he was painted to be. Due to this little glitch he could only speak in this person’s very special and rare magical tongue. It's a little hard to communicate with others if they can't learn or speak this language, so he had stopped trying long ago and had remained silent too this day. The last speaker that had walked this school half a century ago had felt so wrong he had kept his silence. But this child, this tiny little one, there was something about him.

It wasn’t nefarious like the last one. No it was his magic. It was powerful, the level of which hadn't walked these walls in a very, very long time.

A mage.

Or as they were called in the era of his creation a magus.

_ $Tell me snakeling, how are you settling in?$ _

Harry’s eyes sparkled in happiness.

_ $It's great sir! There are so many places to explore! And it's a castle! Castles are very wicked, even more if they are magic castles.$ _ He was almost gushing at this point. To the painting amusement.

_ $I am pleased that you find my castle ‘wicked’ as you young ones say these days. Did you know that there are places in this castle that only specific people with a very special talent can go to?$ _ he revealed.

_ $There are? What’s the talent? Wait! Your school? Are you…$  _ ask Harry, his eyes widening in wonder.

_ $Salazar Slytherin? Yes I am.$ _ say the painting, amused at the child's reaction. The latter, now looking at him with his mouth open in an O of awe.  _ $Better close your mouth before you eat a fly. Believe me they aren’t very tasty.$  _ he says with a mischievous smirk. 

Harry closed his mouth with a click. Looking at the painting wide eyed. He had so many questions.

_ $Now concerning this special talent. It is a very rare one. There are only 2 ways to have it, one is by blood line, so from your parents or by being blessed with it by Lady Magic herself. Now I was the first of my line to be blessed with this talent myself after having saved a very powerful creature’s baby from a hunter. It has many names depending on where you come from. Helga called it Gunnlaugur in Norse, her mother tongue. The French called it Fourchelangue. And there was this one student that called it Sisselspraak, he was Dutch I think. Some call it the sly tongue but it is most commonly known as Parseltongue, the snake language.$ _

_ $Snakes? Oh does this mean that time at the zoo with the boa was parseltongue?$ _ he asked? He had been a little nervous that time and just start talking to the snake, as Drac hadn't been allow to come, not because he didn't want to bring him but because it was a zoo and he had been scare that the zoo keepers would have take him away thinking he was one of their escaped animal.

_ $Did the snake respond back with words?$ _ ask Salazar. Harry nods.  _ $Then yes it was. After all you do have this talent otherwise you wouldn't be able to speak to me right now. Sadly I can only speak this way because of a glitch in my creation enchantments.$ _

_ $But if i'm speaking it right now why does it sound like english?$ _ ask Harry innocently.

_ $That is because you are very young and can't diserne when you switch from one to the other. It takes time for one to hear the subtle change in tone for your ears to notice. But I assure you the others in this room right now are clearly hearing you speaking snake child.$ _ he says, particularly mirthful giving the slytherins a glance and smirking at their very shocked and some fearful reactions.

Harry looked in the same direction and flinched at the attention he was getting from his housemates and curled on himself trying to make himself a smaller target for their stares. The painting saw this and a red flag was raised in his mind. It was a very worrisome reaction.

_ $Don’t worry child, in this House rest assured none will try to hurt you. Not after what just happen.$ _ he says gently. The child turned to him again and watched him warry and questionably.  _ $Let's say the young slytherins have a little worship for having a speaker in their House. They may fawn over you a bit and try to get in your good grace.$ _

The child pouts at him.  _ Oh… that's a lethal weapon little one. It should be a crime to be this cute. _

_ $But I don't want them to do that. People are already acting weird at my name! At the Leaky Cauldron people were trying to pet my head and shake my hands. Hagrid had to pick me up and carry me over the crowd so we could reach the entrance to Diagon alley.$ _

The painting frowned at this. People shouldn’t act this disgraceful.

_ $What's your name little one? We got a little carried away. I forgot to ask. Forgive me.$ _

“Oh!” say the child in english just realising that he didn't introduce himself. With caution he introduced himself to the painting and judged the painting’s reaction to it.  _ $I'm Harry Potter.$ _ he says, and relaxing when he saw that Salazar had none of the usual people reactions he had got from the others that learned his name.

_ $A Potter? There hasn't been a Potter in Slytherin House for at least 800 years. The last one in this House was very skillful at enchanted pottery, masonry and runed glasswork like all Potters of the time were. You can even see some of their work still in Hogwart. You see this little wall fountain between the 2 stairs leading to the dorms? It was Rowan Potter that made it in his last year of schooling. An extra points project in runes if I remember right.$  _ He explains and points to the wall fountain of a snake head gushing water from its mouth like those roman lions ones. $ _ This fountain is enchanted with runic lines to always provide clean and fresh drinking water. Try it sometime, they say the water is very refreshing. _ $

Harry looked at it in wonder and excitement at learning something about his family.

$ _ Do you know more about my family?$ _ ask Harry hope in his eyes.

$ _ Sadly no little one. As the Potters were more usually sorted in Godric’s and Rowena’s House. But there is one thing I do know. If a building is very old and has very intricate stone structure designs like sculpted arches or even guardians gargoyles then you have a very high chance that those were made by a Potter’s hands. Hogwart has somes gifted to the school by Potters through the ages. And I know for sure that Gringotts’ facade in the shopping alley was made by Potters. _ $

Harry’s eyes were sparkling at this point, wanting to know every scraps he could about his family.

_ $What about the other names? At my sorting there were 2 more names attached to mine that weren't there before or on my letter.$ _ he asks.

_ $Oh? I'm not sure… the scroll is linked to the book of names. Same as the letters that are sent to each student. Which is their true names and family names. So unless your letter was written by someone that didn't know your full name and not by the enchanted quill linked to the book like it should have, then the name should have been the same as the one on the scroll at your sorting. Although there is another way, the book of names is self updating, if someone changes their name officially and is approved by lady magic, it will change in the book. Same if you are blood adopted into a family.$ _ explained the painting of the founder.  _ $What are the names? I may be able to help with them.$ _

_ $Well, one was Hellsing and the other Tepes.$ _ say Harry hopeful. He knew the Hellsing one as it was a famous family in the Dracula book. But they didn't actually exist did they? As Dracula was apparently not real. So it wouldn't be farfetched that this one didn't either. And he didn't hear of an actual Hellsing while in school. In Dracula’s book it says that the family was british but he hasn't found any in the address book. He made sure to check. As for Tepes, it was familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before.

Salazar frowned, thinking. He didn't know any of those, although… 

_ $Can’t say I know of either family. They are magical of this you can be sure or else they wouldn’t have been added to your name unless they were already part of it when you were born.$ _ he says. At the child's disappointed face, he continued.  _ $Hellsing… hmmmmm this could be a shortened version of the Hellus of Singnar family. A very old and ancient nomad Earth Mages family even in my time. As for Tepes, that name looks romanian to me, you may have more chances looking at romanian magical family for that one.$ _

_ $Romanian?$ _ Harry’s eyes were shining in renewed glee as he mumbles to himself before letting out a huge yawn.

_ $You can check for them in the library. But I think it's time for you to go to bed now. It's quite late and you have class tomorrow.$ _ Salazar says gently when he sees the child yawns and rubs his eyes cutely.

_ $Go on snakeling, up to bed. You can come and talk to me anytime.$ _

_ $M’kay, good night Mr, Slytherin.$ _ waved Harry before gathering Dracula that had been watching the whole exchange from where he was settled on the backseat of the closest sofa. Holding his bat with his back to his chest like one would with a big plushy. The picture was absolute cuteness for the painting. 

_ $Good night snakeling.$ _ say the founder watching the child climb the stairs leading to the boys dorm before smirking as excited whispers start the moment the child was gone from the common room. Yes this child had nothing to fear from the snakes of his House. 

He leaned back on his chair pensively.

He would need to find what the little magus’ affinity was, so he may teach him the base knowledge for mages spellwork. As sadly those classes weren't taught anymore. He himself had been a Water Mage while the other founders had some affinities for other elements without being full magus. Godric had favored Fire, while Rowena and Helga had favored Air and Earth respectively.

Once the affinity is found, he would need to look for where the child will be able to find what he needs to finish his education on this affinity. As each affinity had its own special spells and rituals beside the common basic spell all affinity shared.

He was kind of looking toward being able to teach again. He was excited to find what would be the child's affinity. Would it be one of the most common? Air, Water, Earth and Fire? One of the most uncommon? Shadow and Light? Or even one of the rarest of the affinity? Blood and Soul? The Soul Magus was also what people had called the Necromancers. 

He couldn’t wait to find out.

_ To be continued... _


	6. Stories of ancient stones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!! ^^

Darkness, tinted a dark waving green in the black lake's underwater reflection of the dorm windows, washing over the sleeping children in its shadowy flowing wave. Caressing their faces as they dream in the safety given by the powerful walls of this ancient castle as a figure slips out of the Slytherin 1st year’s dorm. 

In the shadows, hiding secrets old and new. Always watching over the future of a world now only just stories and tales for those left behind. Those that never understand it and once seek to destroy it. Splitting in broken halves a world once standing as one.

The soul and heart of those ancient walls had stood and witnessed many a secret. From love unrequited, to betrayals, hidden parties and shameful acts. To the rise and fall of her land most cherished King and the leaving of his most beloved warlock in mourning. She had stood guard over her land still, even as her stones eroded and fell. She had raised again as 4 friends rebuilt her walls strong again to shelter their hunted youngs from heartless men. She had seen her halls once more filled with people to protect. And maybe she lost the city on which she had stood guard over, the land still remembered what once stood surrounding her. It was in her very walls now. In the stones used to rebuild her, in the tales they told unheard as none listen to their songs. They have forgotten how to hear.

Her soul and heart aches. For she knew, for all that men wish to remember, they will always forget the mistakes of old and repeat them.

In memories of men's, tales of a land where Avalon stood. Were a mere squire boy was the only one worthy to unsheathed from stone a sword most legendary as mythical. 

She aches.

For those days in which she was the shelter for the noble heart of kings and knights. For royal blood to once more walk her halls. For one to sit on a throne no longer standing in the halls of kings. For her walls to once again shine and vibrate as only a court dance to a victory from protecting her land.

And then, one night she felt it. Something long forgotten from the time of her golden era. Someone had caressed her soul with a gentleness of one that knew how. That could hear her song. Something that she had once barred from her halls. But not the same one. No, this one was young.

So young and lost. 

Alone.

A King of the Night that lost his land. That has no court, no people of his own. 

No… he does. He has them all with him. His people, the souls of his land. He watches over them still. They were all there within him, sheltered in his own soul. The ones that fell, he had taken them within his very being. His body and soul, the unbreakable fortress protecting them. 

A King that couldn't let his land disappear, even at the most unspeakable cost. A King asking without words permission to stay in her halls with the one he has chosen to follow. Analyzing his intentions, he had no hostile intention for her land.

She welcomes him in her arms of enchanted stones. He may find home with her.

_ In my halls I welcome thee Night King, may it become your home too if you wish it. _

So now she watches over him too as he roams her halls and secret rooms at night with shining eyes full of childish curiosity. 

Amusement fills her as he discovers her kitchen and those that work it one night.

-B-

It had taken him a while to solve the mystery to open this door hidden by the fruit bowl painting. Oh he could have just shadow traveled into the room beyond but where was the fun in that? This old castle had so many mysteries and puzzles to give. It made his nights interesting and kept him going at every new secret discovered.

It was fun. Like last night, he had found a very very old room where moss and ivy of roses grew on the walls with surprisingly untouched ancient tapestries depicting the legend of King Arthur and the legendary sword he wielded. It had been fascinating even more as the castle had been for lack of better word “ _ sad and melancholic _ ” somehow. In his heart he knew, this castle held more secrets than people remembered. She was so very old, older than what the school was said to be.

Her stones told tales of Kings, of knights, of a CITY standing around her long ago. Of magic so old that wands were sticks to poke ant hills and play harmless pranks. They told of a time where magic was free. A time where she was a citadel known throughout the whole isles.

Her true name is still spoken of in tales and legends but they have forgotten her. They forget she was real, of where she was and that she stood still. That she’s still there awaiting her King to return one day.

He was honored, as only a royal can as they stood and walked the halls of a castle so ancient and legendary that her tales were heard over sea. A castle none would dream of ever walking in these days and ages.

He patted her wall with a hand as he pushed the painting door open and walked into the room beyond.

He froze in the entrance as an army of eyes turned to him. Watching him with huge bulbous eyes. One of them came forward cautiously.

“Who you be nighty walker?” it asks.

“I had many names, once I was Vlad Dracula, later I was Alucard, now I'm Dracula once more.” he answered regally with curiosity at the creature. He had never seen one of those before. They look like very big brownies but didn't wear their iconic hat.

“You vampy kingly?” it asks with surprise.

Alucard tilted his head to the side observing the creature.

“I supposed I am known as such, yes.” he acknowledged. There was murmurs from the other creatures. The one in front of him started pulling at its big ears in what looked like distress.

“Oh no! Elvesies not know vampy blood dishes for kingly!” it says slightly distress followed by the others.

The vampire startled at this. They were not distressed at the fact that he was a vampire but that they didn't know dishes adapted to his diet to feed him? Oh how peculiar indeed.

“There is no need, my master feeds me what I need.” he states, but it didn't calm them down. Looking around the huge castle kitchen, he felt an itch to use it to make food for his little master. Turning to the creature in front of him again. “How about a trade then?”

The creature looked at him.

“Trades? Wut would vampy kingly be trading with elvesies?” it asked, eyes curious. 

“You let me use the kitchen to cook for my little master sometimes and I teach you dishes from my land.” he says. The sparkles that appeared in the creatures’ eyes were almost like stars.

“Vampy kingly be teaching elvesies new dishes?” 

“Yes, in exchange for being able to use the kitchen” he confirmed. The elf then turns to the others. An excited murmur rose from them and he turned back to the vampire.

“We elvesies will let vampy kingly use kitchen in exchange for new dishes recipes.” he exclaimed. For he was an He, it had taken a little time for Dracula to identify the creature as male.

Dracula nods.

“Do vampy kingly have days for teaching elvesies his dishes?” 

“Not at present time, no. I didn't get your name though.” he says as an afterthought.

“I be Veldy. Veldy the head elvesie for Hoggywarts.” declare Veldy. Alucard nods. “If vampy kingly be needing something he call for elvesie. One be coming. If yous be knowing elvesie name they be coming if yous call they name.”

_ That's good to know. _ Thought the ancient vampire as he observed the other…  _ elves? _ return to work. Following Veldy as he gave him a tour of the massive medieval kitchen.

-B-

Quietly slipping back into the Slytherin's 1st year boy dorm, Dracula softly walked to one of the beds.

He stood beside the bed observing the child sleeping peacefully. He noted with amusement that his armor's cape was peeking from under the normal blanket.

His little master had clung to it since that day he had wrapped it around him. Having been using it as a security blanket ever since. At the same time the ancient vampire's scent was weaved thick in the leather even after all those centuries in his shadow storage so the child was smelling like him. The scent wrapping around the child's own scent like a very dangerous warning sign for others to stay the fuck away from his little master.

He knew that for humans, at most they would only perceive the scent of blood on it, but the creatures and animals? Oh they would know it for what it was.

A claim.  _ Mine! Back off! _

That is what the claim declared for all those that understood it.

Gently laying on the bed beside his master, he watches him sleep. Content at the fact nothing has happened to the child while he was out exploring the castle on his nightly outing.

As if sensing him, Harry made a soft sound in his sleep and seemed to gravitate toward the vampire until he was curled up against him. Used to this after so many years of the child doing so no matter if he was in bat form or his normal one, his little master would seek him in his sleep. Either curling against his side and chest or holding his bat form in his arms like a teddy and actually ignoring the actual bat plush that the child had  _ mysteriously _ found on his bed one Christmas morning. It had come to the point that he didn't even stir awake when the child gathered him in his arms and cuddled him in his sleep. And wasn't that worrisome? Although, it seems only his little master was able of that feat. Any other that so much as breathed over him while he slept so exposed had him awake in less than a heartbeat.

Running his fingers in the child's hair, Dracula settled more comfortably in the bed curling around his little master and rubbing his jaw on his head like he had been doing since that first day. Drenching the child in his scent even more and making this strange rumbling sound while doing so.

Movements from the bed beside them had him freezing in place, silent and alert. Staring intently at the silver blond child, waiting to see if he was waking up and if he needed to shift to bat form if so.

He resumed his content rumbling and scenting when it was clear the blond child was still sleeping and had only turned.

It was 2 hours before dawn that he decided it was time to sleep some, as he won't be able to during the day. Shifting into his bat form, he curled up in Harry’s arms as the child cooed in his sleep cuddling him in a protective gentle hug. And wasn’t it funny? A vampire awake during the day and sleeping during late at night/early morning? Although he can't say he really regrets it. His little master has an uncanny ability of getting into trouble without actually looking for it. Like that time at the park in surrey.

-B-

_ They were at the park. It was semi afternoon and the weather was a little cloudy. His little master had been able to slip away from his family without being seen as they were entertaining a business diner? He thinks, not that he particularly cares for the fat walrus and his business avenue. Nor his horse wife and piglet son as long as they leave his little master alone. _

_ So he was hanging from a shaded branch in one of the trees and solemnly watching his master being the child he should be and playing around like all children his age should be doing. _

_ Looking on amused as the child running around hissing at imaginary enemies with his armor cape draped around his neck flaring behind him like giant wings, pretending to be a vampire in the throw of flight. _

_ Oh Just how amusing was his little master in his innocence. _

_ He was pulled from his thoughts by the child's soft exclamation of dismay and looked at him to see his little master having found a baby bird that had fallen out of his nest. _

_ He watched as Harry gathered the chick in his hands and looked up at the tree next to him searching for the nest. _

_ After a couple of minutes searching he seemed to have found it and judged that the cape would hinder him in his climb and unclipped it, setting it on a nearby rock. _

_ The chick in one hand, Harry started to climb. _

_ The disguised vampire watched his progress with an increasing feeling that something was gonna happen. Prompting him to send his senses out for any threats. Finding none he watched the child climb warily awaiting for what was setting him on edge. _

_ His little master had just put the chick back in it's nest when an ominous cracking sound was heard. _

_ The ancient vampire could only watch in bafflement as the branch the child was standing on broke and sent the child falling with a startled screech in the pond under the tree. _

How… How does that epic fail cliché actually happen in real life!?  _ He thought before he let out a laugh at the ridicule of the situation and seeing the child unharmed and just sitting there in the pond looking like a wet kitten. _

_ The feeling of incoming doom had passed. _

-B-

He stirred awake again when the children started to wake for the day. Grumbling as he was moved as Harry removed his arms from around the bat. He curled on himself and threw a wing over his head trying to return to sleep.

It was 15 minutes later that he felt himself being gently lifted and put inside his little master school robe where he sleepily hooked himself to the soft shirt and returned to snoozing for a while until they reached the great hall for breakfast.

Sleepily lapping at the offered blood, he watches the surrounding children also sleepily eating their breakfast. Absently glaring at Quirrel as he licked the wound closed and clean without any trace.

That first class with that guy hadn’t been apreciate at all. Not with the amount of garlic in that class room that not only had made his airway close in an extreme allergic reaction, but also had made it hard to breath for the children themselves, coughing their lungs out trying to get air in. If he had been any other vampire he would have been dead before touching the floor. The air, fatal to breath.

His poor master had been horrified when he fell off his head with a croak, unable to breath and catatonically limp in his hands.

That had followed more panic from his little master as he ran to the infirmary and the matron diagnostic telling he was dead as his heart wasn't beating. He was using all his energy to try to breathe.

He had scared the matron by flapping his wings weakly. His little master crying and tears for her to do something were horrible to watch and hear.

She had finally decided to help even as her scan was telling her that the bat was for all intended dead. She had cast a spell that forced his swollen airway open allowing air to reach his desperate lungs all while mumbling to herself on  _ how _ this bat was still moving as if alive while being flatlined.

The moment he could, he took deep desperate intakes of air, wheezing and coughing. He may be a vampire but he still needs oxygen like any creatures on earth unless he was hibernating and the special corpse status procedure was engaged. In this instance he wasn’t hibernating so air was very important right now. He restarted his heart beats when he was sure he wouldn't be gasping for breath anymore. That sure had startled and baffled the matron when the flatline suddenly started beeping again. 

Her confused mumbling would have made him smirk in other circumstances. But as it was, he made a raspy chirp for his little master instead.

The only silver lining resulting from that unfortunate event was the matron angry ranting to the headmaster about the unbreathable condition in the DADA classroom after many children came to her having trouble breathing. Which resulted in the teacher having to remove all his garlic garlands. 

Although the garish turban was still there and still smelling strongly of garlic, it wasn't enough to also completely hide the smell of decay permeating from under it from his keen nose.

He will keep an eye on that man, he could be a threat to his little master. His little stuttering act wasn’t fooling him at all.

_ To be continued… _

  
  



	7. Resurgence of ancient artefacts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where ancient things thought lost, have an habit of randomly appearing around one particular first year

September passed quickly and soon they were already half way over october. 

It was lunchtime and Harry was dragging Neville with him to the green table. It had taken him a long time to finally convince the shy and nervous lion to sit at the snake table but he had succeeded.

He would have sat at the red table but he didn't feel safe sitting there. Not with all the glare he was getting from half that table. So with lots of work and help from Luna, he had finally managed to have Neville sit at the snake table without having a panic attack.

He was pretty proud of this accomplishment even more when none of the other snakes did anything more than look slightly curious at the misplaced red among the green before returning to their lunch. They had nothing against Longbottom as he had never insulted or done anything to any of the Slytherins before.

Neville sat nervously and tense beside Harry while the young Potter started piling delicious food on his plate. Waiting for the snakes to start raining threats on him.

But it never came, so he gradually started relaxing and cautiously started filling his plate. He noticed that some dishes were different than what he would have found on his own table and looked baffled as he watched some Slytherins sampling with cautious curiosity the new dish that appeared closed to Harry. 

Looked to be some kind of stew made with what look like white beans and… sausages? Seeing some of the snakes making faces of delight at the dish, he decided to try it even if he had never seen a stew that was made with sausage before.

It was actually good. Different but very tasty for all there weren't many ingredients in it. 

He was startled at the sound of cutlery falling and turned to look at who, only to see Zabini looking at Harry… no, not at Harry, but at his covers with a shocked expression. And he wasn't the only one with this expression once they followed his gaze. It was when he looked himself, that he noticed why. The golden cover and plates were not the usual golden ones.

Harry was casually eating his food using a magical artifact… a long lost ROYAL magical artifact set and looking oblivious to it! And it couldn't be anything else. For before them was the royal golden dragon fine china set of Romania. The red gold engraving of the ancient red dragon and the protective runic lines surrounding the lids or foot of the pieces giving it away. This very sought enchanted set had disappeared the night the Blood Mage king was defeated, along with most of the furniture and heirlooms from the mountain’s castle of Wallachia. By the time wizards and even muggles manage to break the doors, all valuables have been gone without a trace. And here they were in Hogwart, being used by one very vampire-obsessed first year without a care for what they were.

Neville actually suspects Harry didn't actually know what he was actually using to eat his lunch. Potter could be very oblivious to many obvious things. Not that he was dumb, but his attention become very focus on one thing at times and things that other would notice will completely pass over the tiny slytherpuff head, like food in this moment actually.

"… Harry?" He asked. Harry turned to him curiously, his spoon stopping halfway to his opening mouth, and Neville changed his mind. He didn't want to know. "Ah, nevermind"

He briefly wondered where the set was going once the meal was done. Did they go where the rest of the school’s golden plates went? Would someone that had noticed them would try to find them and steal them? They were after all very sought after. People had committed crimes for lesser artifacts after all. He only hopes Harry won't be hurt if it happens.

They continued eating lunch in comfortable silence, Neville keeping a guarded eye on the more greedy snakes that could be a danger to his friend for the set, until they were interrupted by an angry enquiry behind them.

"Oye Neville why are you sitting with the traitor at the slimy snakes’ table?" Ron asked standing intimidatingly behind Neville. 

But before Neville could say anything, Daphne, who was sitting in front of him, did it for him.

"Maybe because he wanted to be able to eat without feeling nauseous at having to watch you eat like a savage troll and fling pieces of food in his plate because you try talking with your mouth full." She said, her nose in the air snubbly.

Ron opened his mouth to throw an insult at her...

And an angry bat screech was the only warning any had before Ron had to duck as Dracula made a swooping dive at his head.

"Oh, that's where your bat is Potter, I was wondering why he wasn't on the table yet," casually stated Daphne returning to her plate, eating with noble grace. 

The Slytherins watched with dark amusement as the bullying lion was sent running, protecting his head and face from an angry bat's wings and claws. It was a familiar amusing occurrence, although the target this time wasn't the DADA teacher. For some reason, Potter’s bat had a grudge against professor Quirrel and was often seen suddenly swooping at the turban head in angry diving attacks, seemingly looking as having suddenly spawn out of nowhere to do so.

"How pathetic, so much for Gryffindors courage." Drawled Draco.

"Now Dray, not all Gryff are cowards. After all there is one very courageous lion we know." Interject Blaise at that moment.

"There are always exceptions, true. Longbottom isn't so bad afterall." he conceded, the unbothered drawl thick in his tone. As if he was trying to look uncaring too hard.

Neville suddenly froze in place as the fine hair at the back of his neck warned him not to move. The next moment something landed on his head and his heart skipped a beat.

He held his breath, terrified of what his instincts were screaming at him, that a predator was too close. He knew this bat was dangerous. He was also sure this was not a bat at all. But…. he couldn’t find any clues on what this creature looking like a bat could be. He had searched, wanting to be sure his only friend wasn’t in danger because of it.

“Relax Nev, Drac isn’t gonna hurt you.” says Harry suddenly. “He seems to like you actually. He never used someone else as a perch like this before, so take it as it is. Him trusting you.”

Neville gulped “Tha-that's nice, but can you take him please?”

“Alright, but I'm telling you he’s not gonna hurt you.” says Harry, reaching for the bat on his friend's head. “Come on Drac, I'm sure you’re hungry right now.” he cooed to his bat.

The vampire in disguise chattered eagerly, almost jumping in Harry’s arms and to the table. Chattering happily as he was fed.

If people knew just how spoiling this was for a vampire. He must be the most spoiled blood sucker on the continent. Free virgin blood everyday. And the pampering… Dracula had never been this much pampered in his life by anyone, not even as a mortal royalty. And certainly not as a vampire either. But his little master was one very special one indeed. He was fearing it would all disappear once he revealed himself.

He will miss the brushing if it happens. He would never have thought that having his fur gently brushed would have been so blissful as to turn him, the Vampire King, into a puddle of goo on his master’s lap everytime the child took the brush to him. What has become of his life? …but he won't change it. He deserved a little pampering no? And the child wasn't asking much in exchange like his other masters would have asked in those instances. No the only thing the child wants, was him to be his friend. No unreasonable demands of him beating a vampire’s nest after waking for the night without even having time to eat. No painful experiment on him to see what made him tick and why he didn't react like other vampires.

None of those, only friendship and cuddles with this master. Not even his dear Integra had pampered him so. Sure, he had more freedom with her than he ever had with his previous masters, but she was still harsh and punishing.

His attention was pulled away from his thoughts by one of the child asking a question.

"Say Potter, how deep is your Familiar bond as of yet?" Ask Zabini.

Harry blinked confused as he swallowed his bite of stew.

"What’s a familiar anyway? Drac isn't a pet, he's my friend."

"No not a familiar, a Familiar. Capital word Potter." Barge in Draco. "Do you even know what we're talking about?"

"...not really."

Many around him sigh in resignation.

"Potter for all that you're always reading, you're a hopeless case concerning how our world works. This is something you should already know." And had the Slytherins been despairing when learning he had grown up with  _ muggles _ . The worst kind even, the kind that had burned them at the stake in the Founders' time.

The older snakes had taken upon themselves to teach him, but many still startled and despaired at the things he just didn't know. Things that are so obvious and common knowledge that they sometimes stumbled on how to explain them.

“A Familiar is… ah it's… I can't explain it!” groan the silver blond boy.

“A Familiar is an animal or beast that is bound to the lifeforce of a witch or wizard. The bond, depending if the animal is a magical beast or not will share abilities. Usually a Familiar that has found their bond will gain their eye color, a higher level of intelligence and some ability unique to the one they bond too. Since your bat doesn’t have your green eyes it's because he is a very powerful magical beast. I wouldn't be surprised if you gain some of his ability either because of this. Maybe some shared likes or dislikes, even maybe enhanced senses typical of bats.” explained a higher year from further down the table. “A Familiar is something very sacred to any magicals. To hurt, or separate a Familiar from their bond is a serious crime, even a sin that will have you ship directly to Azkaban for 20 years.”

"Oh… Drac is very unique and intelligent, true." Conceded Harry running his hand down the bat's back, feeling the body push back against his hand like a cat would. 

Harry returns to his meal, absently scratching between Dracula's wings, feeling the bat melt under his fingers and smile amusedly.

The rest of the meal passed in comfortable conversation, the royal covers amidst all the other golden ones were ignored but the peculiarity of them not forgotten.

-B-

Harry was pacing in his dorm. He was deep in thoughts about Halloween coming the next day. Trying to decide if he was going to put on a disguise or not.

He really wanted to. It would be the perfect occasion to finally be able to do so with no Dursley to prevent him the pleasure. He had become excited when the headmaster had made the declaration that the students were allowed to come to class that day in costume if they wished.

He wants to go as a badass vampire, but he didn't really have anything to make an authentic costume. He didn't want to look like a cartoon vampire after all. Although… he turns to his bed and pulls his black with red inside blanket from under the school's cover. 

Draping the special end around his neck he tied it with the little chain attached to it and looked at himself in the dorm body size mirror.

_ I can always wear my blanket. It looks like a Dracula cape. A real one. _

He admired himself, turning to the side and noticing that it was trailing far on the ground. Snickering to himself, he flared the cape with his arms. And like it has always done when he was playing vampire at the park with Drac, it gave him the impression of giant open wings. The red inside catching one's attention.

He turned to the bat hanging and watching from the bed canopy.

"What do you think? I make a badass vampire? I'm sure I'll be able to find something to make an appropriate vampire tunic tomorrow." He asked. "I'm sure Draco has fancy clothes I could borrow… maybe." he mumbled to himself as he got ready for the last class of the day.

He didn't notice the bat contemplating look.

_ So the little master wants to look like a Real vampire for the day? Why don't we take it a step higher? _

-B-

Draco was the first to wake up the next morning and raised on his bed, like a cartoon mummy from its sarcophagus, blinking half awake. His hair sticking in every direction and yawning in a way unbefitting of a Malfoy, he stumbles out of bed toward the bathroom but pauses suddenly when passing next to Potter’s bed and does a zombie-ish double take. Blinking confused at the pile of black metal on the bed.

Potter’s bat was sitting on top of the pile, and Draco concluded it was still too bloody early to deal with it, cause the bat was certainly  _ not _ giving this air of smugness or smiling with too much teeth to be physically possible. Nope, he was still half awake, and thus this was just his imagination.

He needs a good hot shower to wake up fully. Yes that will do. He’ll deal with the weirdishness surrounding Potter once awake and dressed.

-B-

Harry woke to excited whispering. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he sat up on his bed and looked around at the others in the dorm that were already awake and preparing for the days. Those that had decided to dress up for the day seem to have the theme of masquerade.

It was interesting, Harry thought as he admired the sophisticated tail coats and matching masks. Somehow it looks more real than what he had seen the children dressing has in previous Halloweens. Has if they were stating something more than just dressing up to get sweets. Maybe wizards celebrate the day differently?

Seeing Malfoy decked in pure white with silver inlay forming a peacock feathers pattern, reminded him that he still had to find something to make a fancy high class vampire tunic to go with his cape.

Dracula chattering drew his attention to the bat and he blinked, rubbing his eyes again to be sure of what he was seeing.

The scene didn't change, his bat was still sitting on a pile of black metal and dark red leather.

Moving closer, Drac chittered smugly before crawling off the pile to let Harry examine it. 

When he realized what he was looking at he gasped in gleeful delight. He pulled out from the pile, a red dragon carved black metal gauntlet. Slipping it on, the whole thing stopping to just before his elbow joint. Effectively protecting his whole hand and forearm. The metal digit covers pointed and giving it a dragon's claws look.

Looking excited at the rest of the pile, he quickly removed the gauntlet and got out of bed. Going about taking his shower fast and finishing his morning routine so he could also put on his costume for the day.

By the time he was out of the bathroom, the others had already gotten down to the common room. Sitting on his bed in his underwear, he separates every piece of the pile, his eyes sparkling.

Before him was a full armor set. All black metal beside the red dragons engraved on the gauntlets and the boots greaves and many red leather belt straps.

“.... how do I put all this on!?” he suddenly squawks, realizing how many pieces there actually was. All layered like this, it was taking all of his bed.

His bat chittering drew his attention as Dracula crawled to one of the pieces that wasn't metal plates. Taking it and holding it up to inspect, he noticed it was a dark red stiff looking shirt with many strings seemingly hanging from randomly but symmetrical places. It wasn't very comfortable to touch and looked stained around the under shoulders and elbows, so he decided to root in his trunk for a soft shirt and black trouser before sliding on the weird stringy shirt. He noticed it fitted him smugly. In fact every piece on his bed looks like it would fit him. He didn't know where the armor came from and even less in size to fit him, but like he noticed during the years, it wasn't the first time something randomly appeared around him.

If he had taken the time to analyze everything more closely, he would have noticed that the stains were a darker shade of red, and that everything on his bed was smelling thickly of blood and death along with the usual armor scent of metal and leather. But this particular smell was identical to his blanket and he had been associating that smell with safety for so long that he didn’t know that this wasn't a scent any should feel safe around.

Now standing before his bed he looked at every piece wondering in which order he had to put them on.

Once again, Dracula the bat crawled to a piece and chittered, looking at him expectantly. After putting socks, Harry took the dark leather boot that had black metal foot cover on them and after analyzing on which side it went, slid his foot in. he did the same with the other boot, then after that the greaves came next, Harry clipping the little hooks and buckles that secure the armors to his legs. He did the same for the tights armor. Then came the hard part… the chest armor. Which looked to have multiple parts, allowing the one wearing it to be able to move as they wished.

Sliding the first part on, Harry struggled to do the straps behind him after tying the strings to the little holes in the metal, effectively fixing the armor to the shirt and holding them in place. That was when Drac sprang from the bed and landed on his shoulder, crawling behind him and somehow, someway fastened all those. Shocking the boy, at just how the bloody hell did a bat buckled all the straps.

“How did you…” he started asking, but the only answer he got was a smug face and laughing chatter. “If you keep doing so many impossible things I'll start expecting you to change into the actual Dracula.” he stated in jest. The bat as if to play along, sat in a way that looked regal and dignified, nose in the air and made a mocking croon, looking at him over his nose like a king snubbing a peasant. 

“Ha! That's actually funny. I'm sure you look as authentic as you could ever get.” Harry snickered amused. 

_ If only you knew, little master. _

The rest of the armor pieces were put on in a similar way, Drac clipping and somehow fastening the buckles Harry couldn't reach himself until the young Slytherin was standing fully armored before the dorm’s body mirror. 

Admiring himself, he decided it was missing something and turned to his bed, pulling from under the cover his cherished blanket. With a flare of leather the blanket was clipped around his shoulders and he gasped. It was as if his blanket was in its rightful place. An actual part of the armor set, even if it was much too big to fit with the child size of the armor. Maybe it would have fit an adult size better? It was trailing well enough on the ground behind him that he hoped no one would be stepping on it during the day.

Looking at himself now, he realized something. This is what he decided the real Dracula should have looked like. The high vampire collar cape, the dark armor and the red dragons engraved on it. The only thing missing was a sword, but he didn’t care. What would he do with it to class anyway? No this was perfect as it was right now. For being an imposing metal armor, Harry had no trouble moving around in it. It was a little heavy, but it wasn’t too heavy to infringe his speed he thought.

Suddenly bringing his hands before himself, curled his finger making claws motion and made a hissing growl at the mirror before he started giggling. This was the best vampire pretend moment he ever had and actually looking the part.

Dracula the bat decided at this moment to land on his head, finishing the image.

“We look bloody wicked like this Drac. I look like a real vampire and you add to this effect. Although…. You need to dress up too” 

At his friend's startle confusion, Harry turned to his trunk and pulled out the small vampire collar and mini sword he had gotten at the pet menagerie before school when he was getting his supply with Hagrid.

The bat glared at the collar on principle for what it was, before letting Harry clip it around his neck. It wasn't that kind of collar, he convinced himself, just a necklace… yes just a tight necklace with a high vampire collar attached. It was  _ not _ an enslaving collar. Nope, his little master was too innocent for that. Maybe  _ too _ innocent. If he wasn't there, Dracula didn't want to imagine what troubles the kid would fall into with that innocence and naivety.

Once Harry was done, tying the mini sword belt around the bat's waist. He stepped back to admire the finished result. 

“There perfect, you are now a Vampire vampire bat.” he declared proudly. The vampire in hiding's annoyance became amusement at the statement.

_ Oh how you amuse me little master. You can't make me more vampire than I already am. _

Flying back to his perch on the child's head the both of them went out the dorm, ready to face the day. 

Neither of them aware of the repercussions that the child wearing this particular armor will unleash or the loud statement it roars to those that understand what was declared by it.

Things from the era of his mortal life that the nosferatus hiding as a bat had forgotten the significance of.

_ To be continued… _  
  
  



End file.
